Benny Kornegay: Family, Affair & Facts About Ella Fitzgerald’s Ex-husband

Benny Kornegay is the former partner of Ella Fitzgerald, a popular female jazz singer. Benny Kornegay’s details are not available on the internet. He is only famous as the ex-husband of Ella Jane Fitzgerald who was also referred to as First Lady of Song”, “Queen of Jazz”, and “Lady Ella”. We do not know how Benny’s childhood went or where he was born. His date of birth and age is also unknown.

Benny Kornegay: Bio Summary

We have no data collected on Benny Kornegay’s place of birth, education, and training among other details. His occupation is unknown but he is said to be a convicted drug dealer and local dockworker.

About Benny Kornegay’s Ex-Wife, Ella Fitzgerald

Benny Kornegay was previously married to an American jazz singer, Ella Jane Fitzgerald also known as the “First Lady of Song”, “Queen of Jazz”, and “Lady Ella”.Ella was born On April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia, U.S to William Fitzgerald and Temperance “Tempie” Henry. Benny and Ella got married in 1941 but unfortunately, their marriage ended in 1942. Ella got separated from Benny after discovering that he had a criminal record.

Career Of Benny Kornegay’s Ex-Wife

Benny’s former wife was a jazz singer who rose to fame for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a “horn-like” improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. She had a career of nearly 60 years. She often associated herself with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. She was successful with the Chick Webb Orchestra, performing across the country.

Mostly her performance of the nursery rhyme “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” increased her and Webb to national fame. She had a solo career and was managed by Moe Gale, a co-founder of the Savoy. She collaborated with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots, which were notable acts outside her solo career. She is widely noted for her interpretations of the Great American Songbook.

Ella Fitzgerald also made some appearances in films and was a guest on TV shows in the second half of the twentieth century. Her songs were produced by some partnerships including, “Dream a Little Dream of Me”, “Cheek to Cheek”, “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”, and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”.

She performed publicly for the last time in 1993. She has been appreciated and awarded for her good work in the entertainment industry. She has won 14 Grammy awards, the National Medal of Arts, the NAACP’s inaugural President’s Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and sold over 40 million albums.

What Happened To Benny Kornegay’s Ex-Wife?

The previous wife of Benny Kornegay, Ella Fitzgerald is dead. She died at the age of 79 after years of declining health. She suffered from diabetes for several years, which led to various complications. She was hospitalized for respiratory problems, congestive heart failure, and exhaustion.

She also had both her legs amputated below the knee due to the effects of diabetes and her eyesight was failing too. She did not fully recover from the surgery. She often spent her days with Ray Jr. and his daughter Alice.

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Unfortunately, Ella died on June 15, 1996, in her home in Beverly Hills. After her death, the Playboy Jazz Festival was launched at the Hollywood Bowl, and in tribute, the marquee read: “Ella We Will Miss You.” A private funeral was held for her and all traffic on the freeway ceased to let her funeral ceremony take place. She was laid to rest in the Sanctuary of the Bells at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, CA. Bouquets of white flowers were placed at her star on the Hollywood walk of fame and there was a marquee outside the Hollywood Bowl Theater.