He was previously married to Shirley. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. Three members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a Mississippi plane crash. Released in the spring of '67, the group's debut single for Stax, "Soul Finger", would reach No. Despite the lingering scars of his past, Cauley continued to work and perform, his horn in demand for sessions in Memphis, Muscle Shoals, even Nashville. Shop our favorite Dog Supplies finds at great prices. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. That fall, Redding paused from the road to have some polyps removed from his throat, and to write and record what would prove to be his swan song, "(Sittin' on the) Dock of the Bay.". "It's really that simple. Although he continued to tour, Cauley didnt return to the site of the plane crash until 40 years later. The Bar-Kays had an immediate Top 20 hit in the spring of 1967 with Soul Finger, an instrumental that begins with the melody from Mary Had a Little Lamb before segueing into the gritty soul music Stax was known for. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. 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. He was 67. His music was really his life. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. Find the best deals on Home Gym from your favorite brands. Save up to 50% on Skin Care when you shop now. 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 played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. People are also reading Every Sunday, Cauley attends Calvary Longview United Methodist Church where he sings with the choir. Porter credits the popularity of Cauley's performances there with helping make the airport's later musical makeover possible. They would be picked up on a Friday, travel and play with Redding on the weekend and return to school for the week. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. But, Cauley, who had a growing family, left the band in 1972. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. Trumpeter Ben Cauley, a member of the Stax Records group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that . Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. In a way, the experience seems to have been a catharsis, providing Cauley some measure of peace. 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. He came back to where we was and said, Man! "Still, he had to do total rehabilitation," she says, learning how to read, write, walk, dress himself, feed himself, all from scratch. Cauley-Campbell said her father toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. Follow the link to order a copy.https://amzn.to/2LAuUicThis is an affiliate link. He was 67. ", 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." "It was a very distinct sound. "They had given him three days to live after his stroke," says Cauley's daughter Chekita. 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. He also went on to create music with other artists such as, Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples, and rapper Drake. We said we was in school., By the spring of 1967, the group was Reddings backing band and recording at Stax Records. On June 6, 2015, Cauley was on hand to be inducted into the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in Clarksdale, Mississippi, along with the other Bar-Kays. 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Washington high school students, including guitarist Jimmy King, saxophonist Phalon Jones, drummer Carl Cunningham, guitarist Jimmy King, keyboardist Ronnie Caldwell, and bassist James Alexander. The new version of the band backed Isaac Hayes on his landmark 1969 album, Hot Buttered Soul, and recorded several albums of its own. Bar-Kays trumpet player Ben Cauley celebrated his 65th birthday this year, and he has much to celebrate. ", He recalls turning toward Phalon Jones. 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. On December 8, 1967, Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays flew in Redding's twin engine Beechcraft H18 plane to Nashville, Tennessee, for three weekend gigs. The speed of the rescue team -- which got to the crash site in 17 minutes -- was probably the thing that saved Cauley. On December 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Find the best deals on Small Appliances from your favorite brands. Find the best deals on HDTVs, UHD TVs, & 4KTVs from your favorite brands. 'He really loved his music. I always kept on., PublishedDecember 10, 2012 at 6:00 AM CST. 'It was a very distinct sound. As Cauley recalls, Otis Redding followed the band there to offer them a gig, We played at the Coliseum, said Cauley. Save up to 50% on Trending when you shop now. They created their signature song, Soul Finger., [Jim Stewart] came back and said, Whats that yall played? Cauley said. Cauley died on September 21, 2015, at the age of 67.[6][7]. The Bar-Kays first release was supposed to be You Cant Sit Down, but when Stax founder Jim Stewart stepped out of the room during the recording session, the band had an impromptu jam. 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. Born in 1947, Cauley's musical grounding came as a child at the New Friendship Baptist Church, where and he and his mother sang in the choir. Cauley died on . Otis went wild. As the years passed, there was more sadness at Stax -- the company went bankrupt in 1975, and in 1989 they bulldozed the studio. Terms of Use ", After months of shock and mourning, Cauley and Alexander decided to try and pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and re-form the band. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. His music was really his life. Shop the best selection of deals on Cat Supplies now. (Dec. 10), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. His music was really his life. I couldn't talk. He said that he then saw bandmate Phalon Jones look out of a window and say "Oh, no! While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. Ben Cauley - Plane Crash Plane Crash On December 8, 1967, Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays flew in Redding's twin engine Beechcraft plane to Nashville, Tennessee for three weekend gigs and used that city as a base to commute to additional gigs. Pick up a copy of Elvis Presley's new album, Where No One Stands Alone. 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. Doctors gave him three days to live. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) 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 was 67. 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. 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. What bands died in plane crash? He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. ", Flying on little rest from the previous night, the passengers soon drifted off to sleep. 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. The plane was found nose-down about 48 feet below the surface. Save up to 50% on Maternity Clothing when you shop now. Shop our favorite Plus Size Clothing finds at great prices. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. "No one could play like him," she said. 3. 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. Ben Cauley in 2007. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. "I had to see it. Shop the best selection of deals on Fitness now. Original founder of The Bar-Kays. The next morning we got up real early to go to the airport, on the way to Madison.". The cause of the crash was never clearly determined. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding just as his career was peaking, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. In early December, Redding and the Bar-Kays were back out on the road, doing weekenders at colleges. Ben Cauley, musician and sole survivor in Otis Redding plane crash, dead at 67 | CBC News Loaded. His music was really his life. They were descending so rapidly that Ben Cauley struggled to breathe. Cauley was thrown into the freezing water. It was a very distinct sound. [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. Miraculously, he survived. Save up to 50% on Women's Accessories when you shop now. Hes been with the church for more than 20 years. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. 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. As label co-founder Jim Stewart later put it, "The company was never the same to me after that. What's your biggest turn off? "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. ", "We kinda looked at each other, as young fellows do, and said, 'The battery's low?' The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. Cauley was separated from the plane and thrown out of an opening in the fuselage. Cauley died in 2015. Deals and discounts in Womens Active Shoes & Sneakers you dont want to miss. "Phalon looked out the window -- what he saw, I don't know -- but he just said, 'Oh no!' He survived the 1967 plane crash that killed Otis Redding. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame. 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. Then, he sang He Knows Just How Much You Can Bear., Having gone through all those changes, my music was something I had in my life. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. With a hit single and a tour with Redding, Cauley said the young band felt they were on their way, Things started looking up, from that point on., But six months later, five Bar-Kays and Otis Redding climbed aboard a small plane to fly from a show in Cleveland to Madison, Wisconsin. 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. He'd raise his trumpet, close his eyes and with intensity signaled by the tightening of his brows send air flowing through his horn routinely causing goose Continued Anyone can read what you share. '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. (his death) (2 children) Trivia (3) He survived the plane crash that killed Otis Redding. He managed to unfasten his seatbelt, and grab a cushion. On Dec. 10, 1967, Mr. Cauley and most of the other members of the band were traveling on Reddings new twin-engine Beechcraft when it crashed into Lake Monona, near Madison, Wis. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. 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. His music was really his life. The lake had not frozen over, but water was chilly and divers were taxed. Deals and discounts in Cookbooks you dont want to miss. Ben Cauley was born on October 3, 1947 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. "After our show he ran backstage, and said 'Y'all bad!'" Later that same evening, they played at a popular Cleveland club, Leo's Casino. 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. On December 10, on their commute to Madison, Wisconsin, at 3:28 in the afternoon, the planecarrying Otis Redding, his partner, and the majority of the Bar-Kayscrashed into the Wiicawac Bay (formerly Squaw Bay) area of Lake Monona, on the outskirts of Madison. When those moments come, alone in the darkness, he tries to think instead of the music they made together; he tries to conjure the sweet sounds of soul and Stax, the things that have sustained him all the years since. "A lot of our fellow musicians cared about the Bar-Kays," says Cauley. Reputation management expert reveals why it doesn't just happen to Beijing warns Elon Musk 'don't bite the hand that feeds you' after the Tesla chief - who sells 40% of his Is YOUR lifestyle good for your heart? Deals and discounts in Tech & Electronics you dont want to miss. Mr. Cauley had various health problems in recent years, including a stroke he suffered in 1989, but he continued to perform. The loss of Redding and the promising Bar-Kays was a devastating blow. He really loved his music. On a recent Sunday, the churchs Hammond B-3 organ was broken. All Rights Reserved. Did Ben Cauley survive the 1967 plane crash? 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. 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