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. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. 'He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman,' Cauley-Campbell said. Show more Otis Ray Redding Documentary Ethic Radio Archive Reels 186K views 1 year ago. The new version of the band backed Isaac Hayes on his landmark 1969 album, Hot Buttered Soul, and recorded several albums of its own. 3. One band member, Ben Cauley, survived. 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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, 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. After the crash, Cauley reformed the Bar-Kays, who celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. 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. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. 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. 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. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. Do not sell or share my personal information. Shop the best selection of deals on Beauty now. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. Five minutes after that,it got started -- but we were still thinking about that. 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. Cauley couldn't swim and said he didn't even try when he was thrown into the freezing water as the . Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. In dreams, he feels the rush of the lake's icy water, the chill of fear, and the helplessness and hurt that followed. Croce's letter announcing his intention to. These are the best Kitchen Linens deals youll find online. Like, what's going on? (his death) (2 children) Trivia (3) He survived the plane crash that killed Otis Redding. As Cauley recalls, Otis Redding followed the band there to offer them a gig, We played at the Coliseum, said Cauley. He was 67. Plans for a memorial service are pending. "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. 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 . He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. The young, energetic Bar-Kays and the tireless Redding proved a perfect musical fit. 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. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. They formed a group called the Imperials, later changing their name to the Bar-Kays. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ", Waiting at the airport in Milwaukee, Alexander eventually got word of the accident and arrived in Madison to find Cauley laid up in a hospital bed. 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. He was 67. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. Three members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a Mississippi plane crash. And this guy just looked at me and said, 'Well, son, you're the only one alive.' The plane crashed in icy Lake Monona. And that year, Cauley faced another brush with death when he suffered an aneurysm and massive stroke. 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. I was conscious at that time," says Cauley. His music was really his life. Privacy Notice These are the best Small Pets Supplies deals youll find online. Save up to 50% on Maternity Clothing when you shop now. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. Cauley died in 2015. 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. Cauley, who'd never learned to swim, was now struggling in the waters of the frigid lake. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. Since the crash, Cauley has played with numerous bands, including a reconstituted Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, and the Muscle Schoals Band. Shop the best selection of deals on Tools & Utensils now. "In my mind Ben's success was a big reason why there was no hesitation in not only incorporating music in the airport, but building the whole airport around the credibility of Memphis music.". On September 12, 2008, the scholarship was founded. 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. Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. 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. 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 . He was soon back playing his horn and performing, something doctors said he would never do. Cauley was separated from the plane and thrown out of an opening in the fuselage. The plane crashed in icy Lake Monona. Learn more about . 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. Tracey Cox asks men the Are YOU at risk of being cancelled? 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. Otis Redding was born on September 9, 1941 in Dawson, Georgia, USA as Otis Ray Redding Jr. Ousted Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot lauds her reduced homicides rates and claims she was treated unfairly Twitter is DOWN: App crashes for thousands of frustrated users around the world. It was a pitch above the roof.'. This year has been one of significant anniversaries for Cauley: the 40th anniversary of the plane crash, the 50th of Stax's founding, and his own 60th birthday, which his family -- which includes seven children from a pair of marriages -- celebrated by throwing a surprise party for him in October. He didnt know how to swim, but he held on to a seat cushion, I couldnt swim, Cauley said, I didnt try.. Like so many Stax stories, Ben Cauley's tale begins in South Memphis. Soundtrack: Dope. Other victims, including Redding, were found still attached to their seats. Terms of Use The loss of Redding and the promising Bar-Kays was a devastating blow. 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. What happened next, Cauley says, "is something I can never erase. The comments below have not been moderated. 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. The effort to retrieve bodies, personal effects and the parts of the plane took place over 10 days. The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. "He really loved his music. 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. The Bar-Kays joined the Stax studio by 1966, and were signed on to Stax's subsidiary Volt Records in the beginning of 1967. 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. He said he'd rather have the pilot do it. Deals and discounts in Tablets you dont want to miss. But in a greater sense, Cauley is the ultimate survivor -- someone who's become the living embodiment of both the triumph and tragedy of the Stax legacy. He had struggled with health issues for years, including a stroke in 1989, but he persevered and continued to play his trumpet. 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. Thanks for contacting us. On September 20, 1973, the chartered flight he and Muehleisen were aboard crashed, the result of what an investigation later revealed was pilot error. 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. 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. For those inclined to believe in the sheltering hand of a Higher Power, Ben Cauley is as close to proof as you may ever find. The cushion kept the musician afloat until a police boat arrived. Sometimes, in his sleep, Ben Cauley still hears their cries -- the ones of his friends and band mates. The cushion kept the musician afloat until a police boat arrived. And it hadnt gone, Cauley said. They had three gigs booked between Dec. 8 and 10, 1967, and most of the entourage was traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. He breathed music.. 10,111, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Early years[ edit] On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. The cause of the crash was never clearly determined. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. He breathed music. Cauley suffered hypothermia and shock, but he survived. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He also directed the choir of Calvary Longview United Methodist Church, attended by him and his wife Shirley. Do you hate foreplay? 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. They were descending so rapidly that Ben Cauley struggled to breathe. "I went to the hospital, they had this metal going through his entire skull holding his head up," says David Porter. It was first reported by the Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal. On September 9, 2008, Attorney B.J. And while he. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. 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. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). 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. He really loved his music. At 65, he still writes and records songs at his home and gigs with the Bo-Keys. They told him he'd never play the trumpet again. As the years passed, there was more sadness at Stax -- the company went bankrupt in 1975, and in 1989 they bulldozed the studio. 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. 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. 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 came back to where we was and said, Man! Audience Relations, CBC P.O. 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. Logic or luck doesn't fully explain how Cauley escaped the plane crash or the waters that nearly consumed him 40 years ago. According to Jet magazine, which interviewed Cauley and the authorities who assisted in the rescue attempt, the rescue divers could not be in the water for more than 15 minutes at a time due to the freezing temperature of the water. Ben S. Cauley, Jr. was an American trumpet player, vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of the Stax recording group the Bar-Kays. Shop the best selection of deals on Cat Supplies now. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. 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. 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. He played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. Shop our favorite Plus Size Clothing finds at great prices. Cauley did not know how to swim and was stuck in the freezing waters holding onto a seat cushion until a . The teen group was in high demand at clubs, like the Hippodrome. It was a very distinct sound. Comments are welcome while open. In early December, Redding and the Bar-Kays were back out on the road, doing weekenders at colleges. ", 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. Ben Cauley, the Bar-Kays' trumpet player is the only survivor of the crash that killed 8 passengers, including Otis Redding and the band's 3 other members. Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal, via Associated Press. 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? Seat cushion until a Georgia, USA as Otis Ray Redding Documentary Ethic Archive., we played at the top of the band members needed permission slips their. 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