Find the best deals on HDTVs, UHD TVs, & 4KTVs from your favorite brands. He was the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that claimed the lives of soul singer Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays. He had struggled with health issues for years, including a stroke he suffered in 1989, but he persevered through all of it and continued to play his trumpet. No one could play like him, she said. Where was Otis Redding born? Year of Crash: 1967; Ben Cauley suffered hypothermia and shock following a plane crash that claimed the lives of four members of Bar-Kays and Ottis Redding, a legendary soul singer, in 1967. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. After a long silence, tears begin streaming down his face, and his body slumps, the weight of 40 years of pain bearing down on his shoulders. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. Cauley had escaped with relatively minor cuts on his head and his foot; the others -- including Redding and pilot Richard Fraser -- had not been so fortunate. These are the best Smartphones deals youll find online. His music was really his life. ", He recalls turning toward Phalon Jones. He breathed music.". Find the best deals on Gear from your favorite brands. But, as if scripted, on that third day, Cauley recovered dramatically enough to leave the intensive care unit. That summer of '67, the Bar-Kays started their work backing Redding with a 10-night stand at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and then proceeded to tour the country. The teen group was in high demand at clubs, like the Hippodrome. "I had to see it. He played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. We filmed (the TV show) 'Upbeat,' and then played a concert. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. In a way, the experience seems to have been a catharsis, providing Cauley some measure of peace. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Trumpeter Ben Cauley, a member of the Stax Records group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed most of his bandmates and Stax star Otis Redding, has died in Memphis. [2] As such they appeared as the backing band on numerous recordings for Stax artists such as Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, and Sam and Dave. Trumpeter Ben Cauley, a member of the Stax Records group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed most of his bandmates and Stax star Otis Redding, has died in Memphis. He managed to unfasten his seatbelt, and grab a cushion. He was soon back playing his horn and performing, something doctors said he would never do. As Cauley recalls, Otis Redding followed the band there to offer them a gig, We played at the Coliseum, said Cauley. The following day, December 9, they took the Beechcraft to Cleveland, where they appeared on Don Webster's Upbeat TV show with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. The comments below have not been moderated. Besides Cauley-Campbell, Cauley is survived by daughters Shuronda Cauley-Oliver, Miriam Cauley-Crisp, Monica Cauley-Johnson and Kimberly Garrett; and sons Phalon Richmond and Ben Wells. This story has been shared 42,781 times. "I saw Carl come out of the water, I saw (Redding's valet) Matt (Kelly) come up on the other side. 'It was a very distinct sound. 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People are also reading The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. See also. He really loved his music. Cauley started attending LeMoyne College in 1965, before becoming a professional musician.[1]. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. At the same time, the mostly underage band became a favorite at late-night clubs like the Hippodrome, adding their flashy step and dance moves into a repertoire of R&B songs. Female firefighters in Richton Park lead by example: You dont have to be a man to do this job, Kam Buckner: The next mayor of Chicago has a reform mandate, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. He was a well-known session musician, and Cauley-Campbell said she often recognized the sound of his trumpet on records because it was so different from anyone else's playing. The effort to retrieve bodies, personal effects and the parts of the plane took place over 10 days. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. Instead of playing the organ, Cauley shuffled up to the microphone and performed an impromptu trumpet solo. To some, Ben Cauley is the answer to a tragic trivia question: the trumpeter was the sole survivor of the plane crash Dec. 10, 1967, outside Madison, Wis., that claimed eight people, including Stax Records star Otis Redding, and Cauley's Bar-Kays bandmates Phalon Jones, Carl Cunningham, Jimmy King . One band member, Ben Cauley, survived. [2][3] Cauley, who was sitting directly behind Otis Redding in the co-pilot's seat, had fallen asleep on the flight clutching his seat cushion. "It's really that simple. "He was there to help me.". I tried. Deals and discounts in Bakeware you dont want to miss. Bar-Kays would continue and prosper with new members after 1967 tragedy. Cauley first picked up trumpet in the seventh grade and soon fell in with a group of neighborhood kids and Booker T. Washington high school students, including guitarist Jimmy King, saxophonist Phalon Jones, drummer Carl Cunningham, guitarist Jimmy King, keyboardist Ronnie Caldwell, and bassist James Alexander. Deals and discounts in Tech & Electronics you dont want to miss. 10,111, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved He was a member of the Stax Records group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed most of his bandmates and Stax star Otis Redding. Cauley couldn't swim and said he didn't even try when he was thrown into the freezing water as the . She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. Cauley was the sole survivor of the plane crash that claimed the lives of Otis Redding and four band members of the Bar-Kays outside of Madison, Wisconsin, on December 10, 1967. Cauley suffered hypothermia and shock, but he survived. "No one could play like him," she said. 'He really loved his music. After the crash, the pair rebuilt the Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes on his landmark album, "Hot Buttered Soul," according to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame's website. His music was really his life. In early December, Redding and the Bar-Kays were back out on the road, doing weekenders at colleges. He was 67.. His death was confirmed by his eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell. In 2007, Bob Mehr told the story of Ben Cauley, trumpet player for the Bar-Kays, who was the lone survivor of the crash. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. The next thing I remember, I came to and was in all this water.". Cauley was thrown into the freezing water. Can you control your erections? No one could play like him, she said. ", Porter marvels not just at Cauley's resilience, but at how he continues to play and perform with the same exuberance and joy he exhibited on the Bar-Kay's delirious debut, the immortal "Soul Finger." Find the best deals on Fitness Nutrition from your favorite brands. Like, what's going on? Save up to 50% on Smart Home when you shop now. But surviving the. These are the best Fashion deals youll find online. These are the best Small Pets Supplies deals youll find online. Ben Cauley, Sole Survivor of Otis Redding Plane Crash, Dies at 67, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/arts/music/ben-cauley-sole-survivor-of-otis-redding-crash-dies-at-67.html. Cauley was separated from the plane and thrown out of an opening in the fuselage. Ben Cauley was at home on stage. Ben Cauley on the plane crash that killed Otis Redding & the Bar Kays Memphis January 2015 Walkin' On The Blvd 7.98K subscribers Subscribe 240 32K views 7 years ago Pick up a copy of Elvis. "He was just laying there with his eyes open. However, the band made little money, as they did not have much work outside of being a house band for Stax, and frequently needed to tour with the artists they backed. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling to a show near the University of Wisconsin on Reddings new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wis. 'That is NOT fair': Teacher's union boss Randi Weingarten has complete meltdown over student debt outside Biden claims he had a nurse who would whisper in his ear and BREATHE on him to make sure there was a 'human House votes to block 'woke' Biden plan pushing retirement planners to invest in ESG in 401ks. Bar-Kays bassist James Alexander had taken a different flight, as there was not enough room left on Redding's plane. Ben Cauley and James Alexander reformed the Bar-Kays and went on to record with Stax artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas and the Staple Singers, as well as appear at Wattstax, "The Black Woodstock". Find the best deals on Women's Handbags & Wallets from your favorite brands. He came back to where we was and said, Man! Able to hold onto a seat cushion, Mr. Cauley was the only survivor. He said, Man, thats a hit. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. I remember I got up, unbuckled my seatbelt to see what it was. When he was a senior, he would be picked up at high school on a Friday, travel and play with Redding on the weekends and then come back to school the next week. After the crash, the pair rebuilt the Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes on his landmark album, Hot Buttered Soul, according to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame's website. She said some of the musicians needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. Somehow, in between blacking out and rising to the surface of the water, he'd gotten hold of a seat cushion, which was keeping him afloat. ", Flying on little rest from the previous night, the passengers soon drifted off to sleep. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. He had struggled with health issues for years, including a stroke he suffered in 1989, but he persevered through all of it and continued to play his trumpet. We've received your submission. Show more Otis Ray Redding Documentary Ethic Radio Archive Reels 186K views 1 year ago. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He really loved his music. The plane crashed in icy Lake Monona. He was 67. Trumpeter Ben Cauley, a member of the Stax Records group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed most of his bandmates and legendary singer Otis Redding, has died in Memphis. He was previously married to Shirley. He also directed the choir of Calvary Longview United Methodist Church, attended by him and his wife Shirley. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. "I went to the hospital, they had this metal going through his entire skull holding his head up," says David Porter. ", "We kinda looked at each other, as young fellows do, and said, 'The battery's low?' "He still wanted to perform but was not mobile enough to do a lot of touring," says Porter, who set up Cauley gigging as a kind of one-man bandat his Da' Blues restaurant inside the Memphis International Airport. Soundtrack: Dope. What's your biggest turn off? Plans for a memorial service are pending. We give Mehr's story encore presentation today. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. The small plane crashed nose first in Lake Monona on the way to Madison, Wisconsin. "Ben is a miracle," says his friend and fellow Stax Records alum, songwriter/producer David Porter. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. Although initially paralyzed, he relearned how to walk and talk (with occasional speech difficulty), and read and write. The trumpeter Ben Cauley was a member of the Stax group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed most of his bandmates along with Otis Redding. That day, Cauley, stood outside playing a requiem on his trumpet. Plans for a memorial service are pending. The loss of Redding and the promising Bar-Kays was a devastating blow. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame. Besides Cauley-Campbell, Cauley is survived by daughters Shuronda Cauley-Oliver, Miriam Cauley-Crisp, Monica Cauley-Johnson and Kimberly Garrett; and sons Phalon Richmond and Ben Wells. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. He was 67. In addition to Ms. Cauley-Campbell, he is survived by four other daughters, Shuronda Cauley-Oliver, Miriam Cauley-Crisp, Monica Cauley-Johnson and Kimberly Garrett, and two sons, Phalon Richmond and Ben Wells. Ben Cauley, who played trumpet with the rhythm-and-blues group the Bar-Kays and was the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed Otis Redding, died on Monday in Memphis. Although he continued to tour, Cauley didnt return to the site of the plane crash until 40 years later. "Phalon looked out the window -- what he saw, I don't know -- but he just said, 'Oh no!' Zelenskyy on Anniversary of RussianWar, R. Kelly Awaiting Fate in Child Pornography Case That Could Add Up to LifeSentence. He had struggled with health issues for years, including a stroke in 1989, but he persevered and continued to play his trumpet. Inside the forest palace 'Putin shares with his gymnast lover and their secret children': Luxury estate Ukrainian military unit named after Boris Johnson 'is wiped out by Wagner troops', the Russian mercenaries How did Russia lose HALF of its 45,000 elite paratroopers in just seven months? These are the best Videogames deals youll find online. Ben Cauley in 2007. (Dec. 10), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Shop the best selection of deals on Tools & Utensils now. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. He breathed music.". I couldn't talk. "The first job we did that weekend was in Nashville, at Vanderbilt University on Friday,"; says Cauley. He was the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that claimed the lives of soul singer Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. But we took off going to Madison with no problems. Shop the best selection of deals on Food Storage now. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. . "[3], Cauley then unbuckled his safety belt which ultimately allowed him to separate himself from the wreckage. See for yourself by trying this new quiz devised by cardiologists 'They told me anyone wearing Trump has to go now': Ron DeSantis book signing event in Florida turns ugly Another close call! "When you consider what he's experienced and yet he can still get up and have the kind of energy that entertains people," says Porter, "it's a true testament to what's inside of this guy. Cauley survived a debilitating stroke and a plane crash in 1967 that killed the other founding members of the Bar-Kays. Chris Pleasance explains how Ukraine 'hits major Russian air base in fresh strike' a day after kamikaze drone crashed down just 68 miles Iran could make materials for a nuclear bomb in just 12 DAYS, US warns. When he was a senior, he would be picked up at high school on a Friday, travel and play with Otis Redding on the weekends and then come back to school the next week. Deals and discounts in Pet Parents you dont want to miss. Nor do they divine how, in later years, after suffering a massive stroke -- when none of his doctors thought he would live for more than a few days -- Cauley was soon up and playing his horn. Deals and discounts in Cookbooks you dont want to miss. ", Martin Luther King, Junior accepts Nobel Peace Prize; Women get the right to vote in Wyoming Territory; America's first domestic passenger jet flight takes off; Soul singer Otis Redding, General Augusto Pinochet die. He awoke when he realized he could not breathe. Besides Cauley-Campbell, Cauley is survived by daughters Shuronda Cauley-Oliver, Miriam Cauley-Crisp, Monica Cauley-Johnson and Kimberly Garrett; and sons Phalon Richmond and Ben Wells. When he was a senior he would be picked up at high school on a Friday, travel and play with Otis Redding on the weekends and then come back to school the next week. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. Since the crash, Cauley has played with numerous bands, including a reconstituted Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, and the Muscle Schoals Band. Cauley remembers the cabin of the plane was especially cold that morning. Deals and discounts in Tablets you dont want to miss. Cauley evaded one more close brush with death when he avoided a diabetic coma. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Reddings new twin-engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. He sang Reddings (Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay as part of a ceremony at the Monona Terrace on the banks of the lake. Apple sales drop 5% in biggest quarterly decline since 2016, Alphabet misses Q4 estimates, Amazon reports almost no profit and Google Ad revenue falls, US employers cut 102,000 jobs in January - a 440% jump from the same time a year ago: 'Tech wreck' spurred layoffs as expert warns 'we're on the other side of the hiring frenzy of the pandemic years', Estranged wife of Texas man accused of killing his Colombian DJ girlfriend transferred 'marital estate to an offshore trust' before she filed for divorce and abandoned the United States as a Wisconsin judge has now issued a warrant for his arrest, Nepo baby gets DENIED! It was a pitch above the roof.". He had the beat: Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. After the crash, the pair rebuilt the Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes on his landmark album, Hot Buttered Soul, according to the Memphis Music Hall of Fames website. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. The lake had not frozen over, but water was chilly and divers were taxed. Do not sell or share my personal information. And we said we're still in school, so we can't go on weekdays. This past Monday, with the anniversary of the crash approaching, Cauley did something he long promised himself he'd do: he returned to Madison, to the site of the crash. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. He didnt know how to swim, but he held on to a seat cushion, I couldnt swim, Cauley said, I didnt try.. The plane was found nose-down about 48 feet below the surface. Like so many Stax stories, Ben Cauley's tale begins in South Memphis. Bob Mehr, "Bar-Kays hornman Ben Cauley is a survivor", "Redding Was Sitting In Co-Pilot's Seat, Survivor Says", "Cause Of Crash Not Pinpointed By Officials: Credit Survivor's Life To Swift Police Action", "Ben Cauley, Founding Member Of Bar-Kays, Dies At 67 - NewsChannel5.com", Ben Cauley, Sole Survivor of Otis Redding Crash, Dies at 67, Ben Cauley Interview - NAMM Oral History Library (2015), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Cauley&oldid=1124352701, Survivors of aviation accidents or incidents, Accidents and incidents involving the Beechcraft Model 18, Articles needing additional references from June 2018, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 November 2022, at 14:01.