Bob Kornegay
By Marv Goldberg
© 2026 by Marv Goldberg
Bob Kornegay was a prolific recording artist and songwriter. In spite of that, I can only find advertisements for two appearances he ever made on his own (and, in one, his name was spelled incorrectly).
By the way, you have no idea how many people, in his home state of North Carolina alone, were named "Robert Kornegay".
Robert Allen Kornegay was born in Mount Olive, North Carolina, on April 28, 1921 (per his birth certificate). He was the only child of Frank Kornegay and Mary Dixon, who'd married the year before.
The family was in the 1930 census in Mt. Olive, living with the family of Mary's sister, Gertrude Outlaw.
In the 1940 census (once again with his parents in Mount Olive), Robert was a laborer in a fertilizer plant.
Robert Allen Kornegay registered with the draft on February 16, 1942. At the time, he was living in Norfolk, Virginia and working at the Norfolk Navy Yard. A big guy, he was 6' 3" and 226 pounds.
There were three important events in 1944.
1. Bob's father, Frank, was one of two people killed in an automobile accident, while riding in a truck being driven to work. The driver of the other car, who fled the scene, was convicted of manslaughter.
2. Bob's son, Billie Stewart Southerland, was born on June 14, in Mount Olive. Kornegay's children are very convoluted, so I'll save them for the end of the article.
3. Robert A. Kornegay married Emma Pratt. The marriage took place on an unknown date at an unknown location in New Jersey (probably in Trenton or Bordentown), where Bob would end up living.
Bob Kornegay finally made the papers in the January 11, 1947 Norfolk Journal And Guide, in their Mount Olive column:
Robert A. Kornegay, of Bordentown, N.J. [near Trenton], is here at the bedside of his mother, Mrs. Mary D. Kornegay, who suffered a painful accident at her home on Dec. 23.
But, a little more to the point, the Goldsboro, North Carolina (about 15 miles from Mount Olive) News-Argus of July 8, 1947 told us:
The Florida Jubilee singers of Trenton, N.J., will present a concert of gospel songs at the Carver high school auditorium Thursday, July 10, at 8 p.m.
The July 26 Norfolk Journal And Guide, in their Mount Olive column, clarified:
The famous Florida Jubilee Singers appeared on a program at the Northeast Freewill Baptist Church on July 11, before an appreciative audience.... Among the group was Robert Kornegay, son of Mrs. Mary D. Kornegay.
The August 2 Journal And Guide went even further, talking about the Florida Jubilee Singers:
Touring the south out of Camden, N. J., the singers featured Mt. Olive's own Robert A. Kornegay. He formerly sang bass with the Twilight Jubilee Singers here [Mt. Olive].
I can't find Bob and Emma Kornegay in the 1950 census. Presumably they were living in or around Trenton.
Finally, Bob Kornegay got to record. His first release was on Bobby Shad's Sittin' In With label, around May 1951. Backed by the Ray Abrams Sextet, he'd recorded "When I'm Close To You" and "I Love You Truly".
Then, on October 11, 1951, in New York, he recorded for Mercury with Julian Dash And His Orchestra: Julian Dash and Bobby Green (tenor sax); Haywood Henry (baritone sax); Ted Donnelly (trombone); Freddie Jefferson (piano); Lee "Gate" Stanfield (bass); and Sonny Payne (drums). All those musicians were current members of Erskine Hawkins' band. On "Can't Understand It", which he wrote, he duets (very badly, in my opinion) with Carmen Taylor. On it, he's billed as "Texas Bob", possibly to confuse Bobby Shad.
"Can't Understand It" was released later that month, with "Blue Velvet", a very pretty instrumental, as the flip. Another song recorded at the same session was "Can't You See". Since it remains unreleased, I don't know who sang on it, but Bob had written it. Note that nothing else links Kornegay to Julian Dash or Erskine Hawkins.
Another Sittin' In With record was released around February 1952: "This Is The Day", backed with "Take Me Baby". I don't know if these songs were recorded at the same session as the first two.
In late 1952, Bob Kornegay joined the Du Droppers, replacing original bass Eddie Harshaw (who'd been on their first record: "Can't Do Sixty No More" and "Chain Me Baby"). J.C. Ginyard, leader of the Du Droppers told this to researcher Peter Grendysa in 1978:.
So they [the Ray brothers, Harvey and Willie] came down there and I heard them sing. I heard their voices and I said "Hey, how would you all like to organize another group?" ... They said "Well, we don't know too much about puttin' harmonies together and you had other groups..." I said "OK, I'll organize it, but I gotta find a bass singer." I knew a boy named Bob Kornegay. Well, Bob was singin' around in little bars and stuff like that with piano players and doin' his blues and so forth. I went over to Brooklyn and I found Bob and asked him to join the group. Around 1952 we organized the Du Droppers. [Note that he's left out original bass Eddie Harshaw, who was with them for a short enough period of time that Ginyard probably just forgot about him, even though he was Ginyard's friend. Also, nothing else said how Ginyard and Kornegay knew each other.]
There's no mention in papers of Kornegay singing in any Brooklyn clubs; possibly, they were too small to advertise.
Probably in December 1952, Bob had his first session with the Du Droppers (for Bobby Robinson's Red Robin label): "Come On And Love Me Baby" and "Go Back" (which he'd written); they'd be released in May 1953. With the Du Droppers, he was lead on such tunes as "Bamalam", "Come On And Love Me Baby", "Honey Bunch", and "Laughing Blues". He would be with them from late 1952 through early 1956. I'll just refer you to my article on the Du Droppers instead of repeating it all here.
Here's Bob's complete biography, as reported in the January 10, 1953 Norfolk Journal And Guide. This was in the Mount Olive column, which was, amazingly, written by someone named Robert L. Kornegay!
Robert A. Kornegay, son of Mrs. Mary D. Kornegay and the late Frank Kornegay of Mount Olive, N. C., appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Talent show Monday night, Dec. 29. [He failed to mention that it was as a member of the Du Droppers.]
Robert, a graduate of Carver High School, sang with the school Glee Club. After graduation, he sang with the Silver Tone Quartette, a traveling group. He is now singing in night clubs with the Du Droppers Quartet and solo singing in Brooklyn, N. Y. He serves as master of ceremonies for the quartet.
As it said, on December 29, 1952, the Du Droppers, along with Donna Grescoe & Dorothy Saffir (violin and harp duo) and comedian Morty Gunty, appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. I guess they weren't as funny as winner Gunty.
In mid-1954, Joe Van Loan, tenor lead of the Ravens on Mercury, got together with some friends of his and cut a record. These friends were J.C. Ginyard, Willie Ray, and Bob Kornegay, who just happened to be three-quarters of the Du-Droppers. (The fourth Du Dropper, Harvey Ray, wasn't on the session.) Using Ginyard's "Dixieaires" catch-all name, they cut a single record for Morty Shad's Harlem label, released in late 1954. Joe Van Loan leads on "Traveling All Alone" and Bob Kornegay is out front on "I'm Not Like I Used To Be".
Sometime in the spring of 1955, Joe Van Loan, Willie Ray, Bob Kornegay, and Willis Sanders (who's usually associated with the Embers) recorded for George Goldner's Rama label as the "Bells". Their one record was "What Can I Tell Her Now", backed with "Let Me Love Love You" (led by Kornegay), released in July.
Around May 1956, in another complicated story, Joe Van Loan was the only member left in the Ravens. Needing a group to record for Argo, he called on some of the guys he'd been doing all that extra-curricular work with. So the same group that had recorded as the Bells, now became the "Ravens": Joe Van Loan, Willie Ray, Willis Sanders, and Bob Kornegay. On Argo, they released "Kneel And Pray", coupled with "I Can't Believe" (led by Kornegay) in July. They were reviewed in the August 8 Billboard:
Kneel And Pray (72): The Ravens make an elaborate production of this inspirational material, and it is highly effective. The high-ranging lead, in particular, turns in an impressive performance.
I Can't Believe (69): The bass takes over the lead spot on this side, and he gives a pleasant swing to this relaxed rhythm material.
However, nice as that review was, it couldn't have given Bob much joy. A legal notice had appeared in the June 4 Trenton Times, which said that Emma was seeking a divorce from him.
Around September, a Bob Kornegay record appeared on Rama: "Is It True?", backed with "Between Me 'N' You And The Gate Post", both written by Bob. An unreleased Rama side was "Stop Knocking Rock 'N' Roll". (Note that, when it found its way onto a Westside CD in 1999, he'd magically become "Bob Cornegie".)
I assume he sang those songs when he appeared at the Apollo Theater on September 14, 1956. He shared the stage with the Teenagers, the Cleftones, the Valentines, the Harptones, the Joytones, Mabel King, the Jimmy Wright Orchestra, and Jean Chapel [misspelled "Joan" in the ad]. Speaking of... Bob was in the ad as "Big Bob Karnegay". Considering that there were only two appearance ads for him ever, it's a shame they couldn't spell his name correctly. Note that all except Jean Chapel were Rama acts.
Another interesting record was "Everything's Cool", coupled with "I Wanna See My Lovin' Baby", recorded for Herald in October 1956 and released in December. The artist was "Pork Chops" and, since it wasn't a group record, that's the name the singer himself was using. Was it Bob Kornegay? I'm not sure. He wrote "Everything's Cool", so it might be, although it doesn't exactly sound like him to me (but never trust my ears).
January 1957 started off with Bob releasing "Bad Boy" and "Bacon Fat" on King. (These were covers of songs by the Jive Bombers and Andre Williams respectively). The credit on these went to "Big Daddy And His Boys" (whoever they might have been). They didn't get great reviews in the February 9 Billboard:
Bacon Fat (64): Big Daddy's "Satchmo"-ish voice is well cast in this cover of Andre Williams' hit. There is little to criticize about his styling, but it comes too late to cut any swath in Williams' pile.
Bad Boy (62): A rather obvious copy of the Jive Bombers' current release. Again, the time handicap will make it hard to collect much of the loot going to the original.
Note that there'd be other recordings by "Big Daddy". There was the Big Daddy Trio on Spot (instrumentals), and records on Gee and Crackerjack, both of which were by Frankie Brunson.
And now, comes the one the world has waited for. He may have actually been under contract to Herald Records at the time, although the way he bounced around meant that he didn't really think too much about contracts.
In late 1956, he recorded a song called "The Man In The Phone Booth". There were two variations, one subtitled "Hello Baby" and the other called "Hello Mama". However, he didn't record it for Herald, but for Kappy Jordan's Flair-X Records, which issued it in January 1957. To keep his identity secret, it was released as by "The Wanderer". Since he didn't write them himself, no one would ever know his true identity. Would they? (Note that the Flair-X cuts were also released on London Records in Canada, although the titles were slightly altered to "The Man In The Telephone Booth".)
But, somehow, Herald found out. What could they do? They tried a unique solution. Instead of suing Flair-X, they had him re-record both sides, using the same musicians as the original. These were rushed out, also in January 1957, as by "Big Bob Kornegay, The Happy Wanderer".
Here's how it played out in the press. This is from the February 16, 1957 Cash Box:
NEW YORK - Two days after she took over the presidency of Flair-X Records [on February 1] Kappy Jordan found herself with an unusual hit on her hands. The record is "The Man In The Phone Booth" and was recorded by The Wanderer.
The song was recorded twice with slight variations of lyrics, so that the sub-titles include "Hello Mama", and "Hello Baby". The Flair X brass felt that both sides had turned out so well that it was debatable which one to release. It was finally decided to put both out back-to-back and let the public make the final choice.
A few boxes of records were sent out to distributors before disk jockey records were shipped, and the sales response was almost immediate on both sides, so they are being labeled Part I and Part II. Over 50,000 records were reported shipped within a week.
From the February 28, 1957 Louisville Defender:
Two weeks ago a record titled, "The Man In The Phone Booth" was received from Flair-X for review. Behind it lies an interesting tale. The artist listed on the label of the disk is "The Wanderer", which was mysterious and intriguing. The plot thickened when, a week ago, another "Man In The Booth" was released on the Herald label by Big Bob Kornegay, the "Happy Wanderer." A little investigating revealed later that the artist was one and the same person on both labels.
What had happened was this.
Bob Kornegay, while under contract to Herald, recorded "Man In The Phone Booth" for Flair-X. The disk started to move in a few cities, and Herald got wind of it. Their first thought was to slap an injunction on their competitor. After mulling the situation and talking it over with Flair-X, they thought of a better idea. They brought Kornegay into a studio and had him cut the same tune for them, even going so far as to assemble the same musicians who had been on the earlier date.
From the March 2, 1957 Billboard:
Last week "On the Beat" detailed the hassle going on re "Man in the Telephone Booth" [sic]. Both Herald and Flair-X thought that they had Bob Kornegay under contract. This week, Vik and several other labels also thought that they had the cat under wraps. King Records has recorded him under the name of "Big Daddy" recently. To make the situation even more complicated. Savoy is suing the publisher, Kassner, alleging that the time is compounded of one of their tunes ("Now Is the Time"), and "Jada."
And the March 2 Berkeley Gazette:
Man in Two Phone Booths or Two Men in the Phone Booth or Never Trust a Man In a Phone Booth
The record business, as everybody knows, is the craziest business in the world. But the topper of all time came last week when a recording artist covered his own record!
As you may know, a "cover" record is a record made by a rival to compete with the original which looks like it may become. a hit. All the other labels jump on it, record it, and get it on the market as quickly as possible. Well, Bob Kornegay, who cut "The Man in the Phone Booth" for Flair-X, was taking no chances, and established what is believed to be a "first" by covering his own original record on another label, Herald. On the Flair-X record, Kornegay is known as "The Wanderer" and on the Herald, "The Happy Wanderer". His contract with Flair-X didn't include the regular five year waiting period stipulation prohibiting an artist from cutting the same song for another company! As if that's not bad enough, Herald claims theirs is the original recording!
Here are the reviews from the February 2 and February 23 editions of Cash Box:
The Flair-X version: It looks as though Flair-X Records has come up with its first smash single in an item titled "The Man In The Phone Booth 'Hello Baby'". It features an artist billed as The Wanderer with a fascinating, off-beat side chock-full-of hit characteristics. The number opens with a lonely lover walking into a phone booth to call his gal whom he's been away from for quite some time. You hear him dialing, speaking to the operator and then finally rehearsing his apology to his girl friend. The dialogue is interesting, but the side really starts to swing when the Wanderer belts out his apology against a thrilling blues beat. The songster has a tremendous voice and some super material to work with. Great side out of left field that could break the top ten. Flip is a similar item in which the caller is speaking to his mama. Don't let the top deck slip by. It's a lulu..
The Herald version: One of the most unusual recordings in some time has hit the market. "The Man In The Phone Booth" looks like it can be the "Flying Saucer" of the coming months. The disk has the same tune and same idea on both sides of the release. However, on one side the Happy Wanderer is phoning his girl friend and on the other he is phoning his "mama". Really interesting dialogue and treatment. The deck has already created excitement via both this recording and the Flair-X version and it is a case of the winner being the one who invades the various markets first. The pressers are churning out disks and the race is on. This could become a sensational seller and either or both are going to rack up healthy figures. [It really doesn't sound like the reviewer knew it was the same person.]
Billboard reviewed both on March 9:
THE WANDERER (Flair-x): The "Wanderer" is actually Bob Kornegay, who also did this for Herald Records (see below). The idea on both is that the cat, on Side 1, the "Hey Baby" [sic] side, calls his chick after being out of circulation for a long time to let her know he's coming back. On Side 2, the "Hey Mama" [sic] side, the call is to his mother. The latter is in a Jolson-ish delivery and has a melodramatic quality that is hard to resist. Both sides are very unusual and give the public something new to get excited about.
BOB KORNEGAY (Herald): It's almost a decision for Solomon to choose between this version and the Flair-X cutting. Both use the same artist, the same musicians backing, the same arranger, and the same general approach. It comes down to a matter of taste. Both are belted with terrific punch. The Flair-X disk had a slight advantage due to earlier release. Distribution may be the key factor in deciding which label emerges on top.
In spite of all the hype in the press, neither record became a hit. It didn't take Herald long to determine that, because in March, they issued "Come By Here", coupled with "Hocus Pocus Voo Doo", by "Big Bob Kornegay". They were reviewed in the April 13 editions of both Billboard and Cash Box:
Come By Here (BB; 71): A personable vocal performance on an appealing calypso with a lilting beat and exuberant choral backing. Kornegay stirred up some attention on his duplicate waxings of "Man In A Phone Booth".
Hocus Pocus Voo Doo (BB: 74): Another attempt to duplicate the wild feeling of the "Screamin'" Jay Hawkins disk, "I Put A Spell On You". Frantic wax, but flip is better showcase for Kornegay.
Hocus Pocus Voo Doo (CB: B+): Big Bob shouts out a quick beat voodoo novelty with an enthusiastic delivery. Should get strong action after the excitement aroused by his "Man In The Phone Booth". Hard hitting wax.
Come By Here (CB; B): Big Bob Kornegay gets into the calypso swing with a quick beat novelty. Sprightly deck.
And now, for complete confusion: his second, and last, advertised appearance. He became part of the "Big 10 Rock 'N Roll Show", with Little Richard, Ruth Brown, Lillian Briggs, Otis Williams & the Charms, the Griffin Brothers, Earl King, Gene & Eunice, Amos Milburn, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Al "Fat Man" Jackson (as MC), and Billy Clark and His Rockerbilly Orchestra. It appeared at the Charlotte, North Carolina Coliseum on April 22, and was advertised for a week before. I have to imagine he did the phone routine, since he was billed as "The Happy Wanderer", but the April 23, Charlotte Observer only said: "Square-shouldered Bob Kornegay did well with 'Is It True', with what he termed a Baptist beat." That was the only review of a Kornegay performance ever printed.
So why do I term it "complete confusion"? That was a great show, right? I sure would have paid to see it. But take a moment to consider how much it costs to put on a tour like this. Big stars, needing a big venue. However the ads for the Charlotte Coliseum were the only ads for that show. It never seemed to play anywhere else, except for that one day.
Bob Kornegay would write many songs with Dave "Baby Cortez" Clowney. One of them was "Wow" (with as the third writer), which was used in the incredibly dumb 1957 movie "Bop Girl Goes Calypso", released in July 1957.
Bob's final Herald record, released in August 1957, was "Humdinger", backed with "Stay With Me Baby". Once again credited to "Big Bob Kornegay", they were reviewed in the September 7 Cash Box:
Big Bob Kornegay has an exciting quick beat titled "Humdinger", that bears the marks of a big one. Big Bob lets go on this one and rocks out the novelty with plenty of "schmaltz". The robust singer delves into his bag of vocal tricks and comes up with some intriguing sounds. The production hinges on the title and the kids may pick it up and make the wax. This one is a great big possibility. The flip, "Stay With Me", shows off the talented wailer on a slow beat blues. It is a goodie but without the novelty value that picks up "Humdinger". We like the top deck for good sized action.
In April 1958, "Big Bee Kornegay" had "At The House Of Frankenstein", backed with "The Fiesta Rock'N Roll". These were on Go Records, from Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. They were reviewed in the May 5 Billboard:
The Fiesta Rock'N Roll (71): A Latin tempo tune by the "Man In The Phone Booth" cat. Has a deep-voiced vocal by Kornegay, which has slim potential in the market.
At The House Of Frankenstein (70): This is another effort which utilizes somewhat gruesome lyrics and it's told in a rocker tempo. Hard to see it at this point.
These are strange reviews. A big part of these ratings is how well the record will sell, not how good it is. The ratings weren't bad, but the reviews were awful; if you were a record distributor or a juke box owner, you probably wouldn't purchase it.
In early 1958, Bob teamed up with David Clowney, his songwriting partner, to record two of their compositions: "Two Old Sparrows" and "Whoa Bessie". They were released, as "Dave And Bob", on the M & F label, about which I can find out nothing.
Later in 1958, "At The House Of Frankenstein" was re-issued on the Belgian Champ label, a subsidiary of Moonglow Records. The flip was "Rock And Roll Is Good For The Soul", by the 4 Counts, another group that recorded for Go.
Then, there were two 1958 releases on the parent Moonglow label (also from Belgium). The first, by "Big Bee Cornegay", was "Hey Mary Lou"; its flip was "Come On A My House", by Louis Prima. The second was a re-issue of "The Fiesta Rock 'N Roll" (with a space after "Rock"), coupled with "Exposition Rock". This time, they got his name correct: "Big Bee Kornegay". "Exposition Rock" was a celebration of "Expo 58", the 1958 Brussels World Fair, which ran from (April 17 to October 19).
I have to assume that "Hey Mary Lou" and "Exposition Rock" had also been recorded for Go Records. Actually, considering the numbers that appear on Champ and Moonglow labels, I'm tempted to think that "Hey Mary Lou" and "Exposition Rock" were either issued as Go 102 or were planned that way and then abandoned.
A July 1959 entry was "Your Line Was Busy", backed with "What Am I", on the Jaro label, part of Top Rank Records. (They were released on Top Rank in the UK, Italy, and the Netherlands.) On these, both of which he'd written, he was billed as "Big Bob". They were reviewed in the August 10, 1959 Billboard, both receiving 3 stars.
What Am I: Rocker is belted to good effect by the singer. Side has a sound and could step out.
Your Line Was Busy: Topical rocker is handled with zest by Big Bob over driving support. This, too, can score.
Note that there were other artists known as just "Big Bob". One (Bob Taylor) had "Wowsville" on the Stacy label. Another (Bob Dougherty) had "Bullfrog Hop" on Kay.
Bob Kornegay's last known recording was as part of the Valiants, a group consisting of himself, Joe Van Loan, Willie Ray, and Orville Brooks. The sides were the standard "Let Me Go, Lover" and "Let Me Ride", which was written by all four singers. They were released in September 1959 and reviewed in the January 4, 1960 Billboard. It was a Billboard Pick, but got no rating:
Here's another strong version of the Jennie Lou Carson tune, sung in listenable fashion by the Valiants. Flip is also a strong possibility, based on "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".
Here are the songs I know were written in whole or in part by Bob Kornegay:
Can't Understand It
Is It True?
Between Me 'N' You And The Gate Post
Everything's Cool
Hocus Pocus Voo Doo
Come By Here
Stay With Me Baby
Humdinger
Your Line Was Busy
What Am I
Two Old Sparrows
Whoa Bessie
Let Me Ride
And, specifically for the Du Droppers:
I Wanna Know (his name was on the 4/21/1953 copyright, but not on the label)
Somebody Work On My Baby's Mind
I Found Out
Little Girl, Little Girl
Get Lost
Go Back
Speed King
How Much Longer
I Wanna Love You
And now, our story takes a couple of different directions. This was in the October 22, 1960 Norfolk Journal And Guide, in their Mount Olive column: "Robert A. Kornegay, son of Mrs. Mary D. Kornegay, was admitted to Cherry hospital, Goldsboro." We'll see that this is a recurring pattern. It also shows that, by 1960, he was back in Mount Olive. (Mt. Olive and Goldsboro are about 15 miles apart.)
The August 31, 1963 Norfolk Journal And Guide, in their Mount Olive column, noted the marriage of Roberta Kornegay, of Trenton, New Jersey. "The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Emma Pratt Shapp of Bordentown [NJ] and Robert A. Kornegay of Mount Olive." (I know I haven't mentioned children yet. Hang on.)
The November 23, 1963 Journal And Guide noted that "Robert A. (Bob) Kornegay, also a Goldsboro hospital patient, is reported improving. The son of Mrs. Mary D. Kornegay, Bob was formerly an entertainer." Now we know his singing days are over. It's possible, although I can't prove it, that the hospitalizations were due to alcoholism (see 1977).
Under the "You Really Need To Know This" heading, the August 14, 1964 Goldsboro News-Argus told us: "Robert A. Kornegay of Mt. Olive is spending some time in Wilson [another North Carolina city]." Not resting on their laurels, the November 18, 1965 News-Argus gave us the life-changing news that: "Robert A. Kornegay is visiting friends in Richmond, Va." Then, on January 10, 1966, we were told that he'd just returned from Washington, D.C., having attended the funeral of his cousin, Pearlie. Looks like the travel bug has bit him.
On February 9, 1972, he was, once again, admitted to the hospital; he was discharged on February 12. But he was back in on November 8 for four days.
And now, what you haven't been waiting for. There were a series of blurbs in 1977 editions of the Goldsboro News-Argus. The first was from September 30:
Others booked at Wayne County Jail included Robert Kornegay, 56, of Mount Olive, charged with disorderly conduct by allegedly using violent and abusive language and taking off his pants in the street at Mount Olive.
October 5:
Robert Kornegay, 56, of Mount Olive, was charged with trespassing at Bobby Kelly's Grocery on S. Center St. in Mount Olive. Bond is $50 pending court action on Oct. 14.
Also October 5:
Disorderly conduct - Robert Kornegay, Mount Olive, charge dismissed by prosecutor. [I assume that relates back to the September 30 incident.]
October 9:
Robert Kornegay, Mount Olive, 90 days suspended, costs of court and make $20 restitution to Kalp Bryant Chestnut for damage to a sign. [No idea what that relates to.]
November 4:
A 56-year-old Mount Olive man was taken from Wayne County Jail to the emergency room of Wayne Memorial Hospital Thursday afternoon for a checkup after getting his arm caught in a cell block door.
Robert Kornegay was taken to the hospital after being jailed under $100 bond on a charge of larceny in the alleged theft of a 33-cent can of sausages from Kelly's Supermarket at Mount Olive.
Chief Jailer Lloyd Smith said Kornegay was checked out by doctors after getting his arm caught in a sliding inner cell door.
December 5:
A 56-year-old Mount Olive man has been sentenced to seven months in prison on a charge of larceny heard by Wayne District Judge Ken Ellis of Fremont.
Robert Kornegay was convicted on a charge of stealing a 33-cent can of Vienna sausages from Kelly's Supermarket. Charges of trespassing and public drunkenness against Kornegay were dismissed by the prosecutor.
March 15, 1978:
Robert Kornegay, 56, of Mount Olive, was booked at the jail on a charge of damaging personal property with bond set at $100 pending court action on March 24.
May 8:
Robert Kornegay, 57, of Mount Olive, was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct under a $200 bond pending action in district court on May 19.
May 14:
Robert Kornegay, 57, of Mount Olive, on one count of disorderly conduct.... Kornegay is being held under $100 bond pending Mount Olive District Court action Friday.
June 4:
Robert (Bob) Kornegay of Mount Olive was sentenced to a total of nine months in prison for trespassing and damaging personal property and was recommended for a psychological evaluation and treatment for problems with alcoholism.
Two charges of disorderly conduct against him were dismissed by the prosecutor.
He was given six months for trespassing at Bobby Kelly's Grocery in violation of a court order and had 90 days invoked for failure to comply with a suspended sentence for damaging personal property, the truck of Ed Myers.
While I did say, at the start of the article, that there were lots of people in North Carolina named "Robert Kornegay", there were none in Mount Olive who were anywhere near 56, the age of someone born in 1921.
Let's hope he straightened himself out; there were no other legal notices about him.
On July 15, 1982, mother Mary Kornegay died. Her obituary named "Robert (Big Bob) Kornegay" of Goldsboro.
On October 3, 1984, ex-wife Emma Pratt Sapp died in Gardena, California. Her obituary said she'd been born and raised in Bordentown, New Jersey, had moved to California 15 years previously, was chief of data processing operations in Los Angeles County, and had been a juror in the Hillside Strangler case. Of course, it named her children, whom we'll get to in a bit.
On May 11, 1986, he got his name in the papers (the News-Argus) one more time. It was on a list of hundreds of people who were remembering their mothers on Mothers Day.
Bob Kornegay himself died on March 25, 1990, per the North Carolina death index, his obituary, and his gravestone. In spite of this, anticipating the worst, Social Security has March 4.
Bob's children are a mess, that's why I saved them for last. There were at least three that I know about: Roberta, Billie, and Frances. There's also Charles Kornegay, who gives us even more problems.
1. Per Emma's 1984 obituary, her children were Roberta Davis and Charles Kornegay. (She also had two children from a subsequent marriage.)
2. Bob's 1990 obituary named three children: Roberta Davis, Billie Stewart Southerland, and Frances Whitted. However, Charles Kornegay wasn't mentioned at all.
Bob's daughter, Roberta Kornegay Davis, was born on September 24, 1944, in Trenton, to Bob and Emma. She died on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles. This is the one child with no problems.
Bob's son, Billie Stewart Southerland, was born on June 14, 1944, in Mount Olive, NC, to Robert Kornegay and Inez Southerland. Normally only the father's name was on the North Carolina birth index. In Billie's case, it was Inez's name, with Bob's name beneath it in parentheses. In the 1950 census, Inez said she'd never been married. Billie seems to have lived his whole life in Mount Olive. When he died on August 13, 2003, his obituary named Bob Kornegay as his father.
Bob's daughter, Frances Olivia Whitted, was born on July 23, 1959, in New York. Her mother was Annie Mae McKay Whitted, who, strangely, only seemed to live in Richmond, Virginia. (Her ex-husband, Peacy Whitted, had died in November 1958, after being stabbed in jail.) There's nothing to suggest that Bob and Annie were married. The New York City Birth Index that I have access to doesn't give the names of the parents. Annie's 1995 obituary named another child, Barbara Diane Whitted; born May 14, 1956, also in New York. However, she's not named as Bob's daughter.]
It really bothered me that Charles Kornegay wasn't mentioned in Bob's obituary. (He was born May 26, 1950, presumably in Trenton; and died December 25, 2019, probably in California.) Well, you know how I get with these things. I dug and dug and found the obituary of someone named Charles D. Marinnie, who died October 17, 1996 in Trenton, after having lived there, and in Bordentown, for 40 years. (Before that, it was Fieldsboro, right next to Bordentown.) It said "... survived by a son, Charles Kornegay of California....". Why would someone named "Marinnie" have a son named "Kornegay"? Was Emma fooling around behind Bob's back? If so, and he found out about it, it would explain why Charles wasn't in his obituary.
Admit it; this is far more interesting than a bunch of songs.
It looks like Bob Kornegay made two things: some great music and a mess of his life.
SITTIN' IN WITH (BOB KORNEGAY with the Ray Abrams Sextet)
592 When I'm Close To You / I Love You Truly - ca. 5/51
MERCURY (TEXAS BOB & CARMEN TAYLOR - singing with the Julian Dash Ork.)
8255 Can't Understand It / [Blue Velvet - Julian Dash Ork.] - 10/51
SITTIN' IN WITH (BOB KORNEGAY)
631 This Is The Day / Take Me Baby - ca. 2/52
[NOTE: 631 is correct, not 632]
DU DROPPERS (from late 1952 to early 1956 - see below)
HARLEM (THE DIXIEAIRES)
2326 Traveling All Alone / I'm Not Like I Used To Be - late 1954
RAMA (THE BELLS)
166 What Can I Tell Her Now / Let Me Love Love You - 7/55
ARGO (THE RAVENS)
5255 Kneel And Pray / I Can't Believe - 7/56
RAMA (BOB KORNEGAY)
206 Is It True? / Between Me 'N' You And The Gate Post - ca. 9/56
UNRELEASED RAMA:
Stop Knocking Rock 'N' Roll
HERALD (PORK CHOPS; not a group record)
493 Everything's Cool / I Wanna See My Lovin' Baby - 12/56
KING (BIG DADDY & HIS BOYS)
5013 Bacon Fat / Bad Boy - 1/57
FLAIR-X (THE WANDERER)
5003 The Man In The Phone Booth "Hello Baby" / The Man In The Phone Booth "Hello Mama" - 1/57
LONDON (THE WANDERER - the Flair-X sides - Canadian label)
363 The Man In The Telephone Booth "Hello Baby" / The Man In The Telephone Booth "Hello Mama" - 57
HERALD (BIG BOB KORNEGAY)
496 The Man In The Phone Booth (Hello Baby) / The Man In The Phone Booth (Hello Mama) - 1/57
(above as "Big Bob Kornegay, The Happy Wanderer"; recuts of Flair-X songs)
499 Hocus Pocus Voo Doo / Come By Here - ca 3/57
506 Stay With Me Baby / Humdinger - ca 8/57
M & F (DAVE & BOB - David Clowney & Bob Kornegay)
169 Two Old Sparrows / Whoa Bessie - early 58
GO (BIG BEE KORNEGAY)
101 At The House Of Frankenstein / The Fiesta Rock'N Roll - 4/58
CHAMP (BIG BEE KORNEGAY; Belgium; subsidiary of Moonglow)
1021 At The House Of Frankenstein / [Rock And Roll Is Good For The Soul - 4 Counts] - 58
MOONGLOW (Belgium)
5079 Hey Mary Lou / [Come On A My House - Louis Prima] - 58
Above as Big Bee Cornegay
5080 Exposition Rock / The Fiesta Rock'N Roll - 58
Above as Big Bee Kornegay - about "Expo 58", the 1958 Brussels World Fair
JARO (BIG BOB; part of Top Rank)
77003 Your Line Was Busy / What Am I - 7/59
JOY (THE VALIANTS)
235 Let Me Go, Lover / Let Me Ride - 9/59
THE DU DROPPERS (NOTE: he's not on the first Du Droppers on Red Robin)
RCA
47-5229 I Wanna Know / Laughing Blues - 3/53
47-5321 I Found Out (What You Do When You Go 'Round There) / Little Girl, Little Girl - 5/53
RED ROBIN
116 Come On And Love Me Baby / Go Back - 5/53
RCA
47-5425 Whatever You're Doin' / Somebody Work On My Baby's Mind - 8/53
47-5504 Don't Pass Me By / Get Lost - 10/53
47-5543 The Note In The Bottle / Mama's Gone, Goodbye - 11/53
(above is the Du Droppers backing Sunny Gale)
GROOVE
0001 Speed King / Dead Broke - 2/54
0013 Just Whisper / How Much Longer - 4/54
0036 Boot 'Em Up / Let Nature Take Its Course - 9/54
0104 Give Me Some Consideration / Talk That Talk - 4/55
EP-EGA-2 - 6/55
Talk That Talk / I Wanna Know / I Only Had A Little / Honey Bunch
EP-EGA-5 - ca. 7/55
That's All I Need / Smack Dab In The Middle / Story Untold / Rollin' Stone
0120 You're Mine Already / I Wanna Love You - 8/55
UNRELEASED RCA/GROOVE:
Baby Don't Leave Me In This Mood
Confusion Blues (backing Big John Greer - he's heard at the beginning, talking with Greer)
Train Keep Rolling On
Ten Past Midnight
My Thrill Girl
Bamalam (two takes, on different days)
You're Wrong
Drink Up (two takes, on different days)
Had To Play My Number
I've Never Been There
You've Been Good To Everybody
If You Just Don't Leave
I Wanna Thank You
OTHER ARTISTS NAMED "BIG DADDY"
SPOT 104 Jetstream / Cloudburst - The Big Daddy Trio - 59 (instrumentals)
GEE 1051 Walking Her Home / Where In The World - 59
CRACKERJACK 4002 The Teacher, Part 1 / Part 2 - 61
Above two records by Frankie Brunson
OTHER ARTISTS NAMED "BIG BOB"
STACY 952 Wowsville, Part 1 / Part 2 - ca. 61 (Big Bob Taylor)
KAY 12399 Bullfrog Hop / Twistin' Through The Rye - 62 (Big Bob Dougherty)
