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 was 67. 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. No one could play like him, she said. He didnt know how to swim, but he held on to a seat cushion, I couldnt swim, Cauley said, I didnt try.. But, as if scripted, on that third day, Cauley recovered dramatically enough to leave the intensive care unit. 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. Shop the best selection of deals on Fitness now. "[3], Cauley then unbuckled his safety belt which ultimately allowed him to separate himself from the wreckage. ADVERTISEMENT The plane was found nose-down about 48 feet below the surface. 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.". 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. And it hadnt gone, Cauley said. 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. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. Comments are welcome while open. 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. He was previously married to Shirley. He formed the Bar-Kays at Booker T. Washington High School with friends: James Alexander, Ronnie Caldwell, Carl Cunningham, Jimmy King, and Phalon Jones. "After our show he ran backstage, and said 'Y'all bad!'" But, Cauley, who had a growing family, left the band in 1972. His music was really his life. Learn more about . The plane had gone into Lake Monona, on the banks of Madison, at a sharp 35-degree angle. Save up to 50% on Trending when you shop now. The group was originally named the Imperials, and later changed to the Bar-Kays in the mid-1960s. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 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. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. ", Flying on little rest from the previous night, the passengers soon drifted off to sleep. Shop our favorite Plus Size Clothing finds at great prices. The best seat in the house! ", 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. Do you hate foreplay? Although he continued to tour, Cauley didnt return to the site of the plane crash until 40 years later. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. See also. Instead of playing the organ, Cauley shuffled up to the microphone and performed an impromptu trumpet solo. On December 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. 'He really loved his music. No one could play like him, she said. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. 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. Once he said that, I couldn't talk. His music was really his life. 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. Able to hold on to a seat cushion, Cauley was the only survivor. 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. 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. What happened next, Cauley says, "is something I can never erase. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. In 2007, Bob Mehr told the story of Ben Cauley, trumpet player for the Bar-Kays, who was the lone survivor of the crash. Save up to 50% on Pets when you shop now. Find the best deals on Home Gym from your favorite brands. 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 young, energetic Bar-Kays and the tireless Redding proved a perfect musical fit. 3 on Billboards R&B chart. 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 really loved his music. The Bar-Kays joined the Stax studio by 1966, and were signed on to Stax's subsidiary Volt Records in the beginning of 1967. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. 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. Deals and discounts in Cookbooks you dont want to miss. He breathed music.". Trumpeter Ben Cauley has died in Memphis at the age of 67. 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. 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. 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. 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. These are the best Videogames deals youll find online. He breathed music.. You know, for a long time I used to tell my kids, 'One day I'm going back.' Logic or luck doesn't fully explain how Cauley escaped the plane crash or the waters that nearly consumed him 40 years ago. Cauley did not know how to swim and was stuck in the freezing waters holding onto a seat cushion until a . He was 67. He breathed music.". The next morning we got up real early to go to the airport, on the way to Madison.". I always kept on., PublishedDecember 10, 2012 at 6:00 AM CST. 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. Bar-Kays would continue and prosper with new members after 1967 tragedy. "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. Ben S. Cauley, Jr. was an American trumpet player, vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of the Stax recording group the Bar-Kays. 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. He was 67. 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. Save up to 50% on Women's Clothing when you shop now. Shop the best selection of deals on Laptops now. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 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. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Yall bad. He asked what we were doing? Three members of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a Mississippi plane crash. These are the best Home Audio deals youll find online. That summer of '67, the Bar-Kays started their work backing Redding with a 10-night stand at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and then proceeded to tour the country. 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. Another band member, bassist James Alexander, was on a different plane. His music was really his life. 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. An original member of the Bar-Kays; lone survivor of plane crash that killed most of his fellow band members and Otis Redding. Find the best deals on HDTVs, UHD TVs, & 4KTVs from your favorite brands. Cauley suffered hypothermia and shock, but he survived. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. His music was really his life. 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. 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. 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 bands died in plane crash? Plans for a memorial service are pending. In early December, Redding and the Bar-Kays were back out on the road, doing weekenders at colleges. He said he'd rather have the pilot do it. He was 67. 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. 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. He said that he then saw bandmate Phalon Jones look out of a window and say "Oh, no! Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 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