"Carl (Cunningham) asked an attendant at the airport to crank up (the plane) so the cabin could warm up,"; says Cauley. Related news. Privacy Notice It was a pitch above the roof.". The loss of Redding and the promising Bar-Kays was a devastating blow. An original member of the Bar-Kays; lone survivor of plane crash that killed most of his fellow band members and Otis Redding. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Save up to 50% on Women's Clothing when you shop now. I was conscious at that time," says Cauley. These are the best Home Audio deals youll find online. "It was a very distinct sound. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. ", He recalls turning toward Phalon Jones. "He was there to help me.". Bar-Kays bassist James Alexander had taken a different flight, as there was not enough room left on Redding's plane. But he's always been the same Ben, hitting them high notes like he always does.". 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 died on September 21, 2015, at the age of 67.[6][7]. Pick up a copy of Elvis Presley's new album, Where No One Stands Alone. These are the best Small Pets Supplies deals youll find online. 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. 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. Before long, the young Bar-Kays -- most of them, still in high school -- were a hit act, and being groomed to become Stax's second house band alongside Booker T. &the MGs. 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. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. He breathed music. Cauley-Campbell said her father toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. The cushion kept the musician afloat until a police boat arrived. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. Cauley got his musical start singing in church with his mother and picked up the trumpet in seventh grade. And that year, Cauley faced another brush with death when he suffered an aneurysm and massive stroke. 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. 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.". Cauley survived a debilitating stroke and a plane crash in 1967 that killed the other founding members of the Bar-Kays. After the crash, Cauley reformed the Bar-Kays, who celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. Cauley remembers the cabin of the plane was especially cold that morning. Shop our favorite Plus Size Clothing finds at great prices. We give Mehr's story encore presentation today. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. Cauley, who'd never learned to swim, was now struggling in the waters of the frigid lake. On September 20, 1973, the chartered flight he and Muehleisen were aboard crashed, the result of what an investigation later revealed was pilot error. The lake had not frozen over, but water was chilly and divers were taxed. Mr. Cauley started playing with the Bar-Kays while attending Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. Former trumpeter of the band The Bo-Keys. But we took off going to Madison with no problems. He really loved his music. 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. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. And we said we're still in school, so we can't go on weekdays. He also directed the choir of Calvary Longview United Methodist Church, attended by him and his wife Shirley. 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 really loved his music. People are also reading He really loved his music. "Honestly, I didn't even know what it was. Cauley was thrown into the freezing water. I'd never been that way before in my life. 3. But, as if scripted, on that third day, Cauley recovered dramatically enough to leave the intensive care unit. 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. 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. After the crash, Mr. Cauley and Mr. Alexander rebuilt the Bar-Kays. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. [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. 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. 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". Plans for a memorial service are pending. It was a pitch above the roof.. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. 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. "I thank God," says Cauley of his unlikely survival. ", 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. His body was perhaps a couple minutes away from going into hypothermia when he was pulled from the waters. He breathed music.". Plans for a memorial service are pending. Where was Otis Redding born? "No one could play like him," she said. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. 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. Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. Trumpeter Ben Cauley has died in Memphis at the age of 67. Cauley died on . Yall dont know, but yall just cut a hit., The groups debut single reached No. The best seat in the house! Croce's letter announcing his intention to. Cauley did not know how to swim and was stuck in the freezing waters holding onto a seat cushion until a . ", 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. 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. 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. He was 67. The effort to retrieve bodies, personal effects and the parts of the plane took place over 10 days. He didn't really know he was there at that point. Cauley couldn't swim and said he didn't even try when he was thrown into the freezing water as the . Shop our favorite Women's Shoes finds at great prices. He was 67. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. "Ben is a miracle," says his friend and fellow Stax Records alum, songwriter/producer David Porter. 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. Mr. Cauley had various health problems in recent years, including a stroke he suffered in 1989, but he continued to perform. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. The plane crashed in icy Lake Monona. 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. One band member, Ben Cauley, survived. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. The speed of the rescue team -- which got to the crash site in 17 minutes -- was probably the thing that saved Cauley. Ben Cauley, musician and sole survivor in Otis Redding plane crash, dead at 67 | CBC News Loaded. Find the best deals on Women's Handbags & Wallets from your favorite brands. The young, energetic Bar-Kays and the tireless Redding proved a perfect musical fit. His daughter Chekita, consoles him, his younger girl Shuronda brings him some tissues, as he struggles to continue. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. 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. These are the best Videogames deals youll find online. 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. 10,111, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. And while he. "Still, he had to do total rehabilitation," she says, learning how to read, write, walk, dress himself, feed himself, all from scratch. I remember I got up, unbuckled my seatbelt to see what it was. Cauley suffered hypothermia and shock, but he survived. They formed a group called the Imperials, later changing their name to the Bar-Kays. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. That day, Cauley, stood outside playing a requiem on his trumpet. 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. We've received your submission. It was first reported by the Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal. 42,781, This story has been shared 14,281 times. 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. "It was a very distinct sound. He formed the Bar-Kays at Booker T. Washington High School with friends: James Alexander, Ronnie Caldwell, Carl Cunningham, Jimmy King, and Phalon Jones. "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. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. "It was a match made in heaven," says Cauley. On September 12, 2008, the scholarship was founded. He breathed music.. "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. On September 9, 2008, Attorney B.J. 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. 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. The Bar-Kays joined the Stax studio by 1966, and were signed on to Stax's subsidiary Volt Records in the beginning of 1967. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played on sessions for Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers, The Replacements and many others. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Reddings new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. "He asked about us doing some gigs. He was 67. 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. 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? But surviving the impact of the crash was only the first hurdle. 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. 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 group recorded for the Stax label and soon started touring as Reddings backup band. It was a very distinct sound. We filmed (the TV show) 'Upbeat,' and then played a concert. Later that same evening, they played at a popular Cleveland club, Leo's Casino. 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. Wade donated $100,000 to Stax Records that would be used to create the Ben Cauley scholarship, in his honor and to shed light on his accomplishments. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. He was 67. Contribute to this page. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. 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. After the show was over, we went down to the Hippodrome. On a recent Sunday, the churchs Hammond B-3 organ was broken. They were descending so rapidly that Ben Cauley struggled to breathe. 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