Her backstage nickname was the only clue that brought the records back.
Fifteen years after her cherished vinyl collection disappeared during a move, 89-year-old Nancy Rorex thought the records, and the memories they held, were gone for good.
Then she got a call. A friend had spotted a stack of albums at a flea market in Arkansas, each marked with a familiar label: “Mom.”
It was the nickname Rorex had carried through decades of backstage work in the music industry. Turns out, the records were patiently waiting for their rightful owner.
How the Records Were Discovered
The reunion began with an unexpected phone call days after Rorex retired from her catering career. A former coworker had been browsing a local flea market when she noticed something familiar among the stacks of vinyl records.
The labels were unmistakable. Throughout her career in the music industry, Rorex had been known simply as “Mom” to the artists and crews she served.
Those handwritten labels on the records became the key to solving a long mystery. The collection had vanished while she was moving homes 15 years ago, and she had given up hope of seeing them again.
Rorex was able to recover over 20 records from her lost collection. Many of them bore autographs from various artists and groups, with personal messages written directly to her.
What These Records Mean to Her
Each recovered record carries its own story. Some of the records are tied to unforgettable moments from her time backstage, like the time Lionel Richie kissed her on the cheek.
Other records bring back quieter, more intimate moments.
While not all of her collection has been recovered, Rorex is getting help finding the others that are still missing. For now, she’s focusing on the joy of having these memory-filled albums back in her hands.
“I think about how grateful I am to have all these wonderful memories,” she said.
“They (the records) represent a lot of fun and a challenge in my life because I didn’t have a clue what I was doing when I started this.”
The Story Behind the Woman Known as ‘Mom’
Nancy Rorex worked in backstage catering for over 40 years, with 27 of those spent at Simmons Bank Arena. That’s where people started calling her “Mom.” Artists, crew members, and staff used it so often that it became how everyone knew her.
Her collection grew organically through her work. As she prepared meals and created a welcoming environment backstage, artists would often thank her with signed albums.
Each one brings back a memory, whether it’s a quick backstage moment or a full concert she got to experience while working.
The Simmons Bank Arena acknowledged her impact when she retired, noting that she had been “so much more than a caterer” throughout her career. They described her as “a comforting presence, a steady hand, and the heart of our show days.”