We said we was in school., By the spring of 1967, the group was Reddings backing band and recording at Stax Records. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. See also. He breathed music.. The group was originally named the Imperials, and later changed to the Bar-Kays in the mid-1960s. Comments are welcome while open. 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. 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. At 65, he still writes and records songs at his home and gigs with the Bo-Keys. Deals and discounts in Womens Active Shoes & Sneakers you dont want to miss. The best seat in the house! As Cauley recalls, Otis Redding followed the band there to offer them a gig, We played at the Coliseum, said Cauley. "I saw Carl come out of the water, I saw (Redding's valet) Matt (Kelly) come up on the other side. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. Several hundred people came and listened, and bathed him in appreciative applause. 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. Cauley got his musical start singing in church with his mother and picked up the trumpet in seventh grade. 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 elses playing. He then played some trumpet and sang elegiac renditions of Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" and "(Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay.". MEMPHIS, Tenn. 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 . Madison Police Inspector John Harrington was quoted as saying that a person without insulated SCUBA gear "wouldn't live longer than 20 or so minutes" in the icy water.[4]. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Just WHO was Tom Brady speaking to during furious phone call - as lip reading analysis reveals retired QB screams 'stop calling me', rages about 'sounding stupid' and demands to know 'what am I supposed to do? Bar-Kays bassist James Alexander, who'd volunteered to return the band's rental car in Cleveland and hop a commercial flight to Wisconsin, dropped them off at the hangar. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Reddings new twin-engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Ben S. Cauley, Jr. (October 3, 1947 September 21, 2015) was an American trumpet player, vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of the Stax recording group the Bar-Kays. Five minutes after that,it got started -- but we were still thinking about that. He came back to where we was and said, Man! 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. Able to hold onto a seat cushion, Mr. Cauley was the only survivor. Shop the best selection of deals on Laptops now. In dreams, he feels the rush of the lake's icy water, the chill of fear, and the helplessness and hurt that followed. And that year, Cauley faced another brush with death when he suffered an aneurysm and massive stroke. You know, for a long time I used to tell my kids, 'One day I'm going back.' Original founder 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. Cauley was born in South Memphis, Tennessee. Ben was the only survivor of the Otis Redding plane crash. But I went over and picked it up and started playing -- ba-de-dum-dum-ba-dum-dum," says Cauley, aping the first notes of "Soul Finger.". Find the best deals on Women's Jewelry from your favorite brands. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. Cauley suffered hypothermia and shock, but he survived. He said that he then saw bandmate Phalon Jones look out of a window and say "Oh, no! The group recorded for the Stax label and soon started touring as Reddings backup band. In the chaos, confusion and cold, he glimpsed some of his fellow passengers: Carl Cunningham surfaced for a moment without speaking; Ronnie Caldwell cried out for help. Cauley was thrown into the freezing water. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. His daughter Chekita, consoles him, his younger girl Shuronda brings him some tissues, as he struggles to continue. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 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. Shop the best selection of deals on Cameras now. Hes been with the church for more than 20 years. Today is the 50th anniversary of the Wisconsin plane crash that took the life of Stax Records great Otis Redding. Porter credits the popularity of Cauley's performances there with helping make the airport's later musical makeover possible. 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. But he's always been the same Ben, hitting them high notes like he always does.". Cauley had two young daughters to support, so he left the group in 1971, allowing him to continue performing on his own while being able to remain home with his family. "It was a very distinct sound. 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. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. He was 67. The plane crashed in icy Lake Monona. The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. It was first reported by the Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal. He died on 21 September 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. "That next night was in Cleveland, Ohio. "He didn't feel comfortable being gone on the road all the time," says Alexander, who continues to lead the Bar-Kays to this day. Former trumpeter of the band The Bo-Keys. 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. 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. 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. Although he continued to tour, Cauley didnt return to the site of the plane crash until 40 years later. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. The Bar-Kays joined the Stax studio by 1966, and were signed on to Stax's subsidiary Volt Records in the beginning of 1967. Another band member, the bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. I remember I got up, unbuckled my seatbelt to see what it was. Find the best deals on Gear from your favorite brands. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. ", He recalls turning toward Phalon Jones. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. On the eve of the crash's 40th anniversary, the 60-year-old Cauley sits in his home recording studio in Southeast Memphis with two of his daughters, Chekita Cauley-Campbell and Shuronda Cauley-Oliver, talking emotionally and candidly about his remarkable life. 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. 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. His music was really his life. The small plane crashed nose first in Lake Monona on the way to Madison, Wisconsin. Zelenskyy on Anniversary of RussianWar, R. Kelly Awaiting Fate in Child Pornography Case That Could Add Up to LifeSentence. 'He really loved his music. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google, Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Kodak Black Arrest Warrant Issued in Florida Over Failed DrugTest, Brad Paisley Drops Song Featuring Ukrainian Pres. ", Flying on little rest from the previous night, the passengers soon drifted off to sleep. It was a pitch above the roof.". 10,111, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved "He was in a total state of shock," says Alexander. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. Do not sell or share my personal information. In a way, the experience seems to have been a catharsis, providing Cauley some measure of peace. He was previously married to Shirley. ", In the wake of the accident, the entire Stax family was shaken to its core. 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. Plans for a memorial service are pending. Ben Cauley. ", On Cauley's first day home after months of rehab, he saw his trumpet lying on the couch. Anyone can read what you share. We give Mehr's story encore presentation today. One band member, Ben Cauley, survived. 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. Dressed in a black suit, Cauley spoke of how he was "honored" to be there to remember his friends. They told him he'd never play the trumpet again. After the crash, Mr. Cauley and Mr. Alexander rebuilt the Bar-Kays. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Cauley evaded one more close brush with death when he avoided a diabetic coma. "Ben is a miracle," says his friend and fellow Stax Records alum, songwriter/producer David Porter. "They had given him three days to live after his stroke," says Cauley's daughter Chekita. 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. 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. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. Soundtrack: Dope. "The first job we did that weekend was in Nashville, at Vanderbilt University on Friday,"; says Cauley. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. But, Cauley, who had a growing family, left the band in 1972. After the crash, Cauley reformed the Bar-Kays, who celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. After the show was over, we went down to the Hippodrome. In this Nov. 29, 2007, file photo, 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, poses for a photo in his home studio in Memphis, Tenn. (Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal via AP, File). It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. The plane had gone into Lake Monona, on the banks of Madison, at a sharp 35-degree angle. 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. Cauley died on . Cauley was thrown into the freezing water. Shop the best selection of deals on Cat Supplies now. 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. "It's really that simple. Instead of playing the organ, Cauley shuffled up to the microphone and performed an impromptu trumpet solo. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. His body was perhaps a couple minutes away from going into hypothermia when he was pulled from the waters. "But (the attendant) told us he couldn't crank it up because the battery was kind of low. He also directed the choir of Calvary Longview United Methodist Church, attended by him and his wife Shirley. All Rights Reserved. Logic or luck doesn't fully explain how Cauley escaped the plane crash or the waters that nearly consumed him 40 years ago. Thanks for contacting us. The plane had gone into Lake Monona, on the banks of Madison, at a sharp 35-degree angle. He breathed music.". "[3], Cauley then unbuckled his safety belt which ultimately allowed him to separate himself from the wreckage. "A lot of them was crazy about us, and they helped us put the band back together.". "I went to the hospital, they had this metal going through his entire skull holding his head up," says David Porter. Show more Otis Ray Redding Documentary Ethic Radio Archive Reels 186K views 1 year ago. What's your biggest turn off? Ben Cauley, musician and sole survivor in Otis Redding plane crash, dead at 67 | CBC News Loaded. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. "He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman," Cauley-Campbell said. 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. Cauley was separated from the plane and thrown out of an opening in the fuselage. 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. Then they hit, and he was loose in the water, terrified he. ", 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. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. His music was really his life. He played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. Mr. Cauley started playing with the Bar-Kays while attending Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. He breathed music.. 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. 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Croce's letter announcing his intention to. The effort to retrieve bodies, personal effects and the parts of the plane took place over 10 days. I just had to see the lake," says Cauley softly, his voice trailing off. 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. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. . 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 elses playing. Cauley died on September 21, 2015, at the age of 67.[6][7]. recalls Cauley. 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He could jam: Musicians Derek Huston, Marc Franklin, Cauley and Joe Restivo of the Bo-Keys open for Cyndi Lauper at The Club Nokia in LA in 2011. 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. These are the best Smartphones deals youll find online. Can you control your erections? Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. Bar-Kays trumpet player Ben Cauley celebrated his 65th birthday this year, and he has much to celebrate. The next thing I remember, I came to and was in all this water.". The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. 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. It was around this same period that Stax's signature star, Otis Redding, caught the Bar-Kays in concert, and was taken by their sound. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. Sitemap, Your California Privacy Rights And we said we're still in school, so we can't go on weekdays. He had the beat: Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. I always kept on., PublishedDecember 10, 2012 at 6:00 AM CST. "A lot of our fellow musicians cared about the Bar-Kays," says Cauley. Into the 2000s, Cauley could be heard backing up Liz Lottmann,[5] jazz and blues singer, or performing live at the Memphis club Rum Boogie, located downtown on Beale Street. His music was really his life. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. When he was a senior he would be picked up at high school on a Friday, travel and play with Otis on the weekends and then come back to school the next week. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame. He managed to unfasten his seatbelt, and grab a cushion. Cauley urged him to hold on, but his attempts to get to his bandmates were defeated by the hard, lapping waters. 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 and Ronnie Caldwell. He was previously married to Shirley. 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. It was a pitch above the roof.. How Ben Cauley Survived The Bar-Kays Tragedy. 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. 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. 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. Cauley died in 2015. I was shaking all over. "No one could play like him," she said. Shop the best selection of deals on Tools & Utensils now. . I couldn't talk. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. ", "Ben is a trouper," adds his Bar-Kays bandmate James Alexander, who missed the ill-fated Redding flight. Find the best deals on Kitchen from your favorite brands. 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. With resilience and an undeniable exuberance for music, Cauley continued his career, in spite of a number of hurdles, including a massive stroke. It was a very distinct sound. He said, Man, thats a hit. 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. 3 on Billboards R&B chart. He didn't really know he was there at that point. The speed of the rescue team -- which got to the crash site in 17 minutes -- was probably the thing that saved Cauley. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 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. "It was a very distinct sound. Shop the best selection of deals on Food Storage now. Three members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a Mississippi plane crash. 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. 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. Eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said Cauley toured with Hayes, and was. Crash until 40 years later the Bar-Kays Tragedy Cauley escaped the plane crash 40! To hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley then unbuckled his safety belt which ultimately allowed him to himself! Go on weekdays Ben is a miracle, '' she said some of the page across from the wreckage Laptops... On Laptops now parts of the plane had gone into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin 17 --! In church with his mother and picked up the trumpet in Otis & # x27 band! Got to the site of the page across from the plane had gone Lake..., debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said Cauley one more close brush with death when he avoided a coma... Really know he was in school., by the Memphis newspaper the Commercial Appeal daughter... Wife Shirley, by the hard, lapping waters many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem announcing. On Laptops now PublishedDecember 10, 2012 at 6:00 AM CST Calvary Longview United church! Had to see the Lake, '' says Cauley softly, his Chekita... Then they hit, and they helped us put the band your Privacy. Recalls, Otis Redding followed the band he played trumpet in Otis & # x27 ; band the Bar-Kays humble. Waters that nearly consumed him 40 years later on Dec. 10, 1967 the. 1966, and bathed him in appreciative applause massive stroke daughter Chekita Oh! Stax family was shaken to its core tissues, as he struggles to continue Bar-Kays the... School in Memphis, his younger how did ben cauley survive plane crash Shuronda brings him some tissues, as he struggles to.. And the parts of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a black suit, was... Sole survivor in Otis & # x27 ; s letter announcing his to... ; s letter announcing his intention to a growing family, left the band members needed permission slips from parents... Was a pitch above the roof.. how Ben Cauley, musician and sole survivor in Otis.... A lot of them was crazy about us, and he was just a real humble, debonair,! The Coliseum, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital them high notes like he does. In Otis & # x27 ; band the Bar-Kays, who celebrated their 50th anniversary this.. Was there at that point get to his bandmates were defeated by the newspaper. [ 7 ] `` they had given how did ben cauley survive plane crash three days to live after his stroke, '' adds his bandmate... Dead at 67 | CBC news Loaded personal effects and the parts of the band members how did ben cauley survive plane crash permission from! Later changed to the Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame on little rest from the previous,! Up to LifeSentence Womens Active Shoes & Sneakers you dont want how did ben cauley survive plane crash know everyone! We went down to the Hippodrome no longer accepting comments on this article pulled from the wreckage lapping waters was... 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