Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Advertisement
    • Contact Us
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Advertise With Us
    • Home
      • COVID-19 Resource Center
        • Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ PSA Radio
      • Featured
    • News
      • State
      • Local
      • National/International News
      • Global
      • Business
        • Commentary
        • Finance
        • Local Business
      • Investigative Stories
        • Affordable Housing
        • DCS Investigation
        • Gentrification
    • Editorial
      • National Politics
      • Local News
      • Local Editorial
      • Political Editorial
      • Editorial Cartoons
      • Cycle of Shame
    • Community
      • History
      • Tennessee
        • Chattanooga
        • Clarksville
        • Knoxville
        • Memphis
      • Public Notices
      • Women
        • Let’s Talk with Ms. June
    • Education
      • College
        • American Baptist College
        • Belmont University
        • Fisk
        • HBCU
        • Meharry
        • MTSU
        • University of Tennessee
        • TSU
        • Vanderbilt
      • Elementary
      • High School
    • Lifestyle
      • Art
      • Auto
      • Tribune Travel
      • Entertainment
        • 5 Questions With
        • Books
        • Events
        • Film Review
        • Local Entertainment
      • Family
      • Food
        • Drinks
      • Health & Wellness
      • Home & Garden
      • Featured Books
    • Religion
      • National Religion
      • Local Religion
      • Obituaries
        • National Obituaries
        • Local Obituaries
      • Faith Commentary
    • Sports
      • MLB
        • Sounds
      • NBA
      • NCAA
      • NFL
        • Predators
        • Titans
      • NHL
      • Other Sports
      • Golf
      • Professional Sports
      • Sports Commentary
      • Metro Sports
    • Media
      • Video
      • Photo Galleries
      • Take 10
      • Trending With The Tribune
    • Classified
    • Obituaries
      • Local Obituaries
      • National Obituaries
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Memphis

    WDIA’s Bobby O’Jay Died Doing What He Loved 

    Article submittedBy Article submittedMay 10, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr Reddit Email
    Bobby O’Jay Died Doing What He Loved 
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell,

    TSDMemphis.com

    Tuesday morning, just before 9 a.m. when the phone lines are open, WDIA Program Director Bobby O’Jay fell unconscious during his show. He suffered a fatal massive heart attack.

    Only minutes after midnight, early Wednesday morning, O’Jay’s colleague, author, and award-winning photographer, Mark Stansbury, confirmed that the official cause of death had been ruled as a “massive heart attack.”

    Listeners on Tuesday morning, May 3, were expecting to hear O’Jay return after announcing that the phone lines were open. Instead, music continued to play during the time when O’Jay engages callers in discussions on current events or some relevant issue.

    Listeners said the morning’s topic focused on the revocation of a college scholarship after a student set to graduate posted online a photo of her brandishing guns.

    Shockwaves of sadness and disbelief flooded social media as the news of O’Jay’s death quickly spread.

    Stansbury credited O’Jay with the insight to permit a live, gospel music program on Sunday.

    “Had it not been for Bobby, I would not have been able to bless my WDIA listeners with good, old gospel music for over 30 years,” said Stansbury.

    Bobby O’Jay presents the prestigious Mic Award to WDIA gospel music on-air personality Mark Stansbury in 2008 at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Westwood. (Photo courtesy of Mark Stansbury)

    “When Bobby first came to WDIA, he pulled my music the first two Sundays. He came by the next Sunday and said, ‘I grew up listening to you. You know your audience better than I do. Go ahead and do your thing.’”

    O’Jay’s desire to be connected to WDIA links him to an experience picking cotton in Batesville, Mississippi. While taking a break, his cousin, WLOK’s popular, on-air host, Melvin “A-Cookin’ Jones, dropped by for a visit. O’Jay, 12 at the time, decided he wanted to work in radio. 

    “Melvin planted the seed” of his desire to be a “disc jockey,” as radio, on-air, personalities were called decades ago. 

    Bobby O’Jay (Photo courtesy of Mark Stansbury)

    O’Jay had one of the most recognizable radio voices in the Mid-South. He was celebrating his 50th year on the radio this year.

    He came to historic WDIA, America’s first African-American radio station, in 1983, as the new program director. O’Jay said he envisioned “taking the radio station to where it is today,” during a 2021 interview on his induction into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame. 

    Social media tributes are plentiful.

    O’Jay’s last post on Facebook is a scenic, peaceful shot of a placid, blue-green lake stretching into the distance under a sunless sky of blue and white clouds. Green trees line a concrete walkway, alongside the lake. O’Jay writes: “Saturday morning walking at beautiful Shelby Farms in Memphis.”

    After O’Jay posted the photo, Ted Johnson commented: “Bobby, it looks so relaxing. You good to go, many more years.”

    O’Jay replied, “Thanks, my friend.” 

    That exchange was Saturday, April 30.

    Tuesday, in the early afternoon, Mamie Wright broke the news to Johnson, posting:

    “Ted Johnson, he passed this morning.”

    More than 100 people commented on the photo.

    Patricia Parker posted: “This picture spoke volumes to me. God is so real. It looks as if he’s walking right into heaven, and he died doing what he loved.” 

     There is one thing that should comfort everyone, according to Stansbury.

    “Out of everything bad comes some good,” said Stansbury. “Bobby is gone, but we all know that he is with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And for that, I tell the Lord, ‘Thank You.’”

    Cooley’s Mortuary in Batesville has charge of final arrangements.

    Read more here

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Article submitted

    Related Posts

    Remembering Frederick W. Smith, Visionary Founder of FedEx

    July 9, 2025

    Cohen’s District Director was “an Extremely Talented Administrator”

    June 23, 2025

    Young WallStreet Traders Expands Summer Bootcamp Program to Empower Students While Bringing Financial Literacy and Empowerment Tools to Youth Across Shelby County and Beyond

    June 18, 2025

    Stop Work Order to Affect Legal Services for Immigrant Children in Tennessee The decision cuts off legal services to 26,000 children across the U.S.

    June 11, 2025

    Meharry Expands Into Memphis With Training Site at Mississippi Boulevard Church

    June 9, 2025

    BREAKING NEWS: Officers in Tyre Nichols Death Get a Pass in State Court

    May 14, 2025

    Comments are closed.

    Business

    Charlotte Knight Griffin Takes Office as TBA President-Elect

    June 30, 2025

    EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

    June 19, 2025

    FUNdraising Good Times Report from Neighborhoods USA Conference in Jacksonville

    June 4, 2025
    1 2 3 … 384 Next
    Education
    Featured

    Fisk University Welcomes Antonio Barrino to Lead Band Program and Expand Music Education

    By adminJuly 7, 2025

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fisk University proudly announces the appointment of Antonio Barrino to the Department of…

    Austin Peay’s MPH program receives $27K for childhood literacy initiative. Community LIFT Project to be implemented at Head Start centers this fall

    June 30, 2025

    TSU, State, reach agreement to reallocate $96M to school

    June 26, 2025

    TSU student lands prestigious internship at Harvard Medical School

    June 25, 2025
    The Tennessee Tribune
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Store
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact
    © 2025 The Tennessee Tribune - Site Designed by No Regret Media.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Our Spring Sale Has Started

    You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/