Today's Birthdays:

Darius Rucker

1966

Solo/Hootie & the Blowfish singer (Age: 42)

Lari White

1965

Singer ("That's My Baby"), songwriter, producer (Age: 43)

Dennis Rodman

1961

Former NBA star, actor (Age: 47)

Bobby Valentine

1950

The former New York Mets manager and ESPN baseball analyst now manages in Japan. (Age: 58)

Stevie Wonder (Steveland Judkins)

1950

He was just 13 when he topped the charts with "Fingertips Part Two" and his album The 12-Year-Old Genius in 1963, the youngest star ever to accomplish that dual feat. Since then, the Detroit native who was given his stage name by Berry Gordy's sister, Esther Edwards, has created such pop standards as "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and the Oscar-winning "I Just Called to Say I Love You." In addition to his success as a musician -- which has earned him 19 Grammys and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- Stevie was a key player in making Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. He was actually born Steveland Judkins, but now prefers to use his mother's maiden name, Morris. (Age: 58)

Harvey Keitel

1939

He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Bugsy. Other notable performances include Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs, Bad Lieutenant and The Piano. (Age: 69)

Dewey Phillips

1926 -
1968

The Memphis D-J was the first to air an Elvis Presley record. He played "That's All Right, Mama" on his radio show, Red Hot and Blue, on July 6th, 1954. The uninhibited, fast-talking Southerner also hosted a local T-V dance party, but substance problems hampered his career. He lost his Memphis gigs in 1958 and never again had the clout he had while introducing music fans to their future King. Dewey--no relation to Sun Records founder Sam Phillips--died September 28th, 1968 at age 42.

Bea Arthur

1923

Actress (T-V's Maude and The Golden Girls) (Age: 85)

Joe Louis

1914 -
1981

The heavyweight boxing champ was known as "The Brown Bomber"

Johnnie Wright

1914

The singer and songwriter was a member of the country duo Johnny and Jack and fronted the Tennessee Mountain Boys. He is married to the "Queen of Country Music," Kitty Wells.  (Age: 94)

This Day In History:

2006

Jack Ingram's "Wherever You Are" tops Billboard's country chart.

2005

Rascal Flatts' Feels Like Today is certified double-platinum.

2005

The do****entary Elvis by the Presleys airs on C-B-S.

2004

N-B-C airs the final episode of Frasier.

2000

Ben Stiller and actress Christine Taylor marry in a private ceremony on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

1998

Garth Brooks' six-disc box set, The Limited Series, debuts at the top of the Billboard Top 200 chart, having sold more than 372-thousand copies in its first week of release.

1993

Pam Tillis makes her acting debut on NBC's L-A Law.

1993

Pam Tillis makes her T-V acting debut on L-A Law.

1989

Randy Travis' "Is It Still Over" hits the top of Billboard's country chart

1986

Hank Williams Junior's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 is certified gold.

1981

Pope John Paul the Second is shot in St. Peter's Square.

1978

Willie Nelson's Stardust debuts on the country album chart. Ten years later, it will still be there.

1972

Bonanza co-star Dan "Hoss" Blocker dies at age 43 of a blood clot.

1972

Tanya Tucker, at age 13, makes her chart debut with "Delta Dawn."

1968

Peace talks between the U-S and North Vietnam begin in Paris.

1967

Actor Robert Mitchum's only hit country single, "Little Old Wine Drinker Me," enters the Billboard chart, where it stays for 17 weeks, peaking at number-nine.

1967

Merle Haggard makes his Grand Ole Opry debut.

1960

Freddy Fender is arrested for marijuana possession in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

1957

Elvis Presley tops Billboard's country chart with "All Shook Up."

1950

Diner's Club issues the first credit cards.

A 52-year-old Cohoctah Township, Michigan man died Saturday after his 94-year-old mother accidentally ran him over with an all-terrain vehicle, police said. Ronald Smith was pronounced dead at the scene at his mother's farm. Smith was working with his mother, Mary Smith, around 12:30 p-m at the property. Ronald Smith was opening a gate when his mother apparently lost control of the Kubota R-T-V 900 utility vehicle she was riding and hit the gate, then caromed off the gate and struck her son. Police said Mary Smith tried to get the vehicle off her son, but couldn't.--Originally reported by The Detroit Free Press.

Cigarette vending machines in Japan may soon start counting wrinkles, crow's feet and skin sags to see if the customer is old enough to smoke. The legal age for smoking in Japan is 20 and as the country's 570-thousand tobacco vending machines prepare for a July regulation requiring them to ensure buyers are not underage, a company has developed a system to identify age by studying facial features. By having the customer look into a digital camera attached to the machine, Fujitaka Co's system will compare facial characteristics, such as wrinkles surrounding the eyes, bone structure and skin sags, to the facial data of over 100-thousand people. Hajime Yamamoto, a company spokesman, says, "With face recognition, so long as you've got some change and you are an adult, you can buy cigarettes like before. The problem of minors borrowing (identification) cards to purchase cigarettes could be avoided as well."--Originally reported by Reuters.

Tom Owens and Diana Helmer moved to Perry, Iowa in December and engaged in an unusual habit. They knew no one but waved at everybody. Helmer says, "I've noticed the effects a wave has. When you wave it's like a smile. A smile always changes your mood. You can't smile and not be changed." Okay, some might ask, what's their angle? Owens, 47, and Helmer, 45, say it's not a psychological experiment. Owens says, "We just wanted to be nice to people...that's our secret plot." Perry is big enough -- population 87-hundred -- to lean more toward the rarely waving, impersonal city than the obligatory, wave-happy Iowa town. Perry Mayor Viivi Shirley says, "Isn't it interesting that this couple is friendly and people think they are nutty?" Shirley says the couple is for real, adding, "In my former life, I was a marriage and family counselor. I have a high detector for fake. They are utterly charming and very earnest."--Originally reported by The Des Moines Register.

Dallas police met a Southwest Airlines plane at Dallas Love Field yesterday after flight staff reported that a p****enger refused to stop using his mobile phone during the flight. Joe David Jones, 50, was cited for disorderly conduct. The incident occurred during a Southwest flight from Austin to Dall****outhwest spokeswoman Brandy King says, "After multiple requests, the flight attendants were not successful in getting the p****enger to get off the phone." According to a Dallas police report, flight attendants had asked Mr. Jones to turn off his cell phone and he responded with, "Kiss my [behind]." When asked again, he stated, "Kiss my [behind]. Not happening." He remained on the phone for about 20 minutes. The pilot radioed the incident to the Love Field tower and Dallas police were notified. Officers met Jones at the gate and he continued to "exhibit disorderly conduct," police said. Federal Aviation Administration regulations prohibit any use of mobile phones except when the aircraft is on the ground.--Originally reported by The Dallas News