Happy Birthday to:

Actress/singer Bette Midler (1945)

Legends Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, world renowned songwriting team and music producers who collectively have hundreds of gold and platinum recordings for such hits as "For the Love of Money" and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," the architects of "The Sound of Philadelphia"", will be featured on NBC's The Today Show on Thursday, April 5 at 8:30 AM (EST).

2006 was a great year in the entertainment world; however, let us not forget those who entertained us for generations but have moved on. We look back on those entertainers and cultural icons who left us in 2006 to pay our respects... Jazz, R&B and pop singer Lou Rawls, lost a two year fight with brain and lung cancer (1/6). He was 72. Prolific film star of the 50s, 60s and 70s and star of such hits as Alfie and The Poseidon Adventure, Shelley Winters at age 85 (1/14). 60s soul star Wilson Pickett, who brought us such hits as Mustang Sally and In The Midnight Hour age 64; of a heart attack (1/19); and actor Anthony Franciosa, 77 (1/19). Country singer Janette Carter, of cuuntry music's founding family, the Carters, 82 (1/22); and actor Chris Penn, 40, brother of actor Sean Penn who starred in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1/24). And Coretta Scott King (76), civil rights activist and wife of Martin Luther King, Jr (1/30).

Happy Birthday to British actress Emily Mortimer (1971), actor Jeremy Northam (1961), jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius (1951; d. 1987), Irish singer Gilbert O'Sullivan (1946), comedic/dramatic actress Bette Midler (1945), The Doors drummer John Densmore (1944), comedian Richard Pryor (1940), golfer Lee Trevino (1939), singer Lou Rawls (1935), comedian/director Woody Allen (1935), and stage actress Mary Martin (1913; d. 1990).

Aretha Franklin will be the first female artist to be honored with the Award of Excellence from the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) for her sterling philanthropic work. The singer is set to receive the trophy at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood next month in a ceremony that will be broadcast in a TV special in January.

Civil rights leader Reverand Jesse Jackson will officiate at the funeral of late singer Lou Rawls on Friday January 13. The Grammy-winning star died in Los Angeles last Friday (Jan. 6) after battling lung and brain cancer. He was 72.

Happy Birthday to Linkin Park guitarist Brad Delson (1977), British actress Emily Mortimer (1971), actor Jeremy Northam (1961), jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius (1951; d. 1987), Irish singer Gilbert O'Sullivan (1946), comedic/dramatic actress Bette Midler (1945), The Doors drummer John Densmore (1944), comedian Richard Pryor (1940), golfer Lee Trevino (1939), singer Lou Rawls (1935), comedian/director Woody Allen (1935), and stage actress Mary Martin (1913; d. 1990).