His body was perhaps a couple minutes away from going into hypothermia when he was pulled from the waters. "I thank God," says Cauley of his unlikely survival. Can you control your erections? He came back to where we was and said, Man! There, he performed as part of a ceremony honoring Redding and the fallen Bar-Kays at the Monona Terrace, on the banks of the lake. NASHVILLE, Tenn. Trumpeter Ben Cauley, the sole survivor of an airplane crash that killed rhythm and blues singer Otis Redding and his entourage in 1967, has died. 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. 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. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. He said, Man, thats a hit. Anyone can read what you share. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. Find the best deals on Small Appliances from your favorite brands. 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. Deals and discounts in Womens Active Shoes & Sneakers you dont want to miss. Do you hate foreplay? On a recent Sunday, the churchs Hammond B-3 organ was broken. Cauley survived a debilitating stroke and a plane crash in 1967 that killed the other founding members of the Bar-Kays. Related news. He didnt know how to swim, but he held on to a seat cushion, I couldnt swim, Cauley said, I didnt try.. ", 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. In the difficult aftermath of his stroke, Cauley's musical future seemed limited. The cushion kept the musician afloat until a police boat arrived. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. 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. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. He managed to unfasten his seatbelt, and grab a cushion. "He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman," Cauley-Campbell said. Every Sunday, Cauley attends Calvary Longview United Methodist Church where he sings with the choir. And this guy just looked at me and said, 'Well, son, you're the only one alive.' As the years passed, there was more sadness at Stax -- the company went bankrupt in 1975, and in 1989 they bulldozed the studio. Ben Cauley. He died on 21 September 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. On December 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. No one could play like him, she said. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. 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. 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. Review: Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle by Griffin Theatre asks, how do relationships happen? And that year, Cauley faced another brush with death when he suffered an aneurysm and massive stroke. He had struggled with health issues for years, including a stroke in 1989, but he persevered and continued to play his trumpet. Cauley did not know how to swim and was stuck in the freezing waters holding onto a seat cushion until a . No one could play like him, she said. 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. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. "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. In 1989, Cauley suffered a massive stroke and aneurysm. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. Five minutes after that,it got started -- but we were still thinking about that. ", 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 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. Save up to 50% on Hair when you shop now. Save up to 50% on Pets when you shop now. Learn more about . [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. 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. 10,111, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. 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.". (Dec. 10), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. 'It was a very distinct sound. He learned to play trumpet when at school, and formed a band with guitarist Jimmy King, saxophonist Phalon Jones, drummer Carl Cunningham, keyboardist Ronnie Caldwell, and bassist James Alexander. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. In 2007, Bob Mehr told the story of Ben Cauley, trumpet player for the Bar-Kays, who was the lone survivor of the crash. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. 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. 3 on Billboards R&B chart. 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. Shop the best selection of deals on Cameras now. The best seat in the house! Published: 22:13 EST, 22 September 2015 | Updated: 03:00 EST, 23 September 2015. 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. Deals and discounts in Nails you dont want to miss. He survived the 1967 plane crash that killed Otis Redding. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. Trumpeter Ben Cauley has died in Memphis at the age of 67. He was 67. 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. 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. Other victims, including Redding, were found still attached to their seats. Released in the spring of '67, the group's debut single for Stax, "Soul Finger", would reach No. 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. The lake had not frozen over, but water was chilly and divers were taxed. "[3], Cauley then unbuckled his safety belt which ultimately allowed him to separate himself from the wreckage. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. "Still, he had to do total rehabilitation," she says, learning how to read, write, walk, dress himself, feed himself, all from scratch. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. He breathed music.". The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. It was a pitch above the roof.'. 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 there to help me.". (his death) (2 children) Trivia (3) He survived the plane crash that killed Otis Redding. He really loved his music. 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. He breathed music.. One band member, Ben Cauley, survived. He died on September 21, 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. His music was really his life. Shop the best selection of deals on Fitness now. He played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. Amid the waves, he lost hold of the cushion, but then another cushion floated by and he grabbed onto it. . Find the best deals on Fitness Nutrition from your favorite brands. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. recalls Cauley. This story has been shared 42,781 times. Find the best deals on Women's Jewelry from your favorite brands. 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. No one could play like him, she said. 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. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. What bands died in plane crash? He didn't know how to swim, but he held on to a seat cushion, "I couldn't swim," Cauley said, "I didn't try.". ", In the wake of the accident, the entire Stax family was shaken to its core. It was a very distinct sound. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame. Find the best deals on HDTVs, UHD TVs, & 4KTVs from your favorite brands. "No one could play like him," she said. 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. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. 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Hes been with the church for more than 20 years. Since the crash, Cauley has played with numerous bands, including a reconstituted Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, and the Muscle Schoals Band. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. He really loved his music. After the show was over, we went down to the Hippodrome. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. Plans for a memorial service are pending. Deals and discounts in Tablets you dont want to miss. 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"It was a match made in heaven," says Cauley. Porter credits the popularity of Cauley's performances there with helping make the airport's later musical makeover possible. Cauley was playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter said. "He really loved his music. 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. Doctors gave him three days to live. Cauley, who was a couple of years older than his bandmates, began attending LeMoyne College in 1965. 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. 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