Corky Cornelius

Edward " Corky " Cornelius ( born December 3, 1914 in Hoosier County, Indiana; † August 3, 1943 ) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Cornelius ' father was a drummer who played in dance bands in Texas. He grew up in Binghamton (New York) and began his career in the early 1930s in the orchestras of Les Brown, Frank Dailey and Buddy Rogers. Early in 1939 he became a member of Benny Goodman's band in which also played the drummer Gene Krupa. When he formed his own band, Cornelius followed him into the Krupa band. There he met the singer Irene Daye Lennen, whom he married soon. Daye had with Krupa band hits like " Drum Boogie" and " Drummin ' Man". From 1941 to 1943 he played Casa Loma Orchestra, until his sudden death from renal failure.