Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in Music History for Aug. 14: In 1810, Samuel S. Wesley, grandson of Methodist hymnwriter Charles Wesley, was born. Samuel Wesley penned over 130 original hymn tunes. The best remembered is "The Church’s One Foundation.

Today in History for Aug. 14: On this date: In 1040, King Duncan of Scotland was murdered by Macbeth, who became king and ruled for 17 years. In 1811, Paraguay declared its independence.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 13: Actor Kevin Tighe ("Emergency," ''Murder One") is 81. Actress Gretchen Corbett ("The Rockford Files") is 80. Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is 79. Opera singer Kathleen Battle is 77.

Today in Music History for Aug. 13: In 1820, engineer and musicologist Sir George Grove, compiler of "Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians," was born in London.

Today in History for Aug. 13: On this date: In 1521, Spanish conqueror Hernando Cortez captured present-day Mexico City from the Aztec Indians. In 1792, French revolutionaries imprisoned the royal family.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 12: Billionaire investor George Soros is 95. Actor George Hamilton is 86. Former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow is 86. Actress Jennifer Warren is 84. Actress Dana Ivey is 84.

Today in Music History for Aug. 12: In 1838, Joseph Barnby, English organist and choirmaster, was born. He composed nearly 250 hymn tunes during his life. Of these the most enduring include "Now the Day is Over" and "We Give Thee But Thine Own.

Today in History for Aug. 12: On this date: In 1615, the first mass in Ontario was celebrated by Father Le Caron in a Huron village near Thunder Bay.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 11: Mike Hugg, drummer with British group Manfred Mann, is 83. Songwriter Kenny Gamble of Gamble and Huff is 82. Bassist Jim Kale of the Guess Who is 82. Country singer John Conlee is 79.

Today in Music History for Aug. 11: In 1943, Jim Kale, the original bass guitarist with "The Guess Who," was born. He was also a member of "The Guess Who's" forerunner, "Chad Allan and the Expressions," a group formed in Winnipeg in the early 1960s.