how did ben cauley survive plane crash

He had struggled with health issues for years, including a stroke in 1989, but he persevered 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. 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. 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. 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. Other victims, including Redding, were found still attached to their seats. 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. Deals and discounts in Cookbooks you dont want to miss. All Rights Reserved. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. 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. Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal, via Associated Press. I just had to see the lake," says Cauley softly, his voice trailing off. 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It was a pitch above the roof.. 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). The young, energetic Bar-Kays and the tireless Redding proved a perfect musical fit. Deals and discounts in Tablets you dont want to miss. Porter credits the popularity of Cauley's performances there with helping make the airport's later musical makeover possible. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. Ben Cauley, Sole Survivor of Otis Redding Plane Crash, Dies at 67, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/arts/music/ben-cauley-sole-survivor-of-otis-redding-crash-dies-at-67.html. The group was originally named the Imperials, and later changed to the Bar-Kays in the mid-1960s. These are the best Smartphones deals youll find online. The plane had gone into Lake Monona, on the banks of Madison, at a sharp 35-degree angle. Deals and discounts in Cookware you dont want to miss. Published: 22:13 EST, 22 September 2015 | Updated: 03:00 EST, 23 September 2015. "[3], Cauley then unbuckled his safety belt which ultimately allowed him to separate himself from the wreckage. He said he'd rather have the pilot do it. Shop the best selection of deals on Cat Supplies now. His death was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. The speed of the rescue team -- which got to the crash site in 17 minutes -- was probably the thing that saved Cauley. Soundtrack: Dope. 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. The lake had not frozen over, but water was chilly and divers were taxed. The loss of Redding and the promising Bar-Kays was a devastating blow. These days, Cauley has recovered almost fully from his stroke -- the only reminder is some occasional difficulty with his speech. Hes been with the church for more than 20 years. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. In 2007, Bob Mehr told the story of Ben Cauley, trumpet player for the Bar-Kays, who was the lone survivor of the crash. 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. These are the best Small Pets Supplies deals youll find online. 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. "I had to see it. 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. 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. In the difficult aftermath of his stroke, Cauley's musical future seemed limited. Mr. Cauley had various health problems in recent years, including a stroke he suffered in 1989, but he continued to perform. They would be picked up on a Friday, travel and play with Redding on the weekend and return to school for the week. In dreams, he feels the rush of the lake's icy water, the chill of fear, and the helplessness and hurt that followed. He was just a real humble, debonair gentleman, Cauley-Campbell said. Today is the 50th anniversary of the Wisconsin plane crash that took the life of Stax Records great Otis Redding. His music was really his life. 42,781, This story has been shared 14,281 times. Cauley was thrown into the freezing water. Shop our favorite Women's Shoes finds at great prices. Doctors gave him three days to live. But, Cauley, who had a growing family, left the band in 1972. The Bar-Kays were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. Taken to the hospital, Cauley was finally told that he'd been the only one to survive. The group recorded for the Stax label and soon started touring as Reddings backup band. But, as if scripted, on that third day, Cauley recovered dramatically enough to leave the intensive care unit. After the crash, Cauley reformed the Bar-Kays, who celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. Ben Cauley was born on October 3, 1947 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Follow the link to order a copy.https://amzn.to/2LAuUicThis is an affiliate link. Do not sell or share my personal information. Cauley couldn't swim and said he didn't even try when he was thrown into the freezing water as the . I was conscious at that time," says Cauley. He was 67. On Dec. 10, 1967, they were traveling on Redding's new twin engine Beechcraft when it went into Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. And this guy just looked at me and said, 'Well, son, you're the only one alive.' 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-Campbell said her father toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. Bar-Kays bassist James Alexander had taken a different flight, as there was not enough room left on Redding's plane. According to James Alexander, Cauley was the best dressed of the group, always known to wear a suit, no matter the occasion. 14,281, This story has been shared 12,066 times. "He asked about us doing some gigs. Every Sunday, Cauley attends Calvary Longview United Methodist Church where he sings with the choir. He was 67. Ben Cauley in 2007. 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. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Then they hit, and he was loose in the water, terrified he. Where was Otis Redding born? Shop the best selection of deals on Tools & Utensils now. recalls Cauley. He'd raise his trumpet, close his eyes and with intensity signaled by the tightening of his brows send air flowing through his horn routinely causing goose Continued Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. Amid the waves, he lost hold of the cushion, but then another cushion floated by and he grabbed onto it. Able to hold onto a seat cushion, Mr. Cauley was the only survivor. Trumpeter Ben Cauley, a member of the Stax Records group the Bar-Kays and the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that . 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. These are the best Fashion deals youll find online. "The first job we did that weekend was in Nashville, at Vanderbilt University on Friday,"; says Cauley. He died on September 21, 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. These are the best Kitchen Linens deals youll find online. 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]. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. He really loved his music. He really loved his music. 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. "He was in a total state of shock," says Alexander. 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 breathed music.. He was 67.. Deals and discounts in Bakeware you dont want to miss. Otis went wild. In recent years he's become an important presence at the Stax Museum of American Soul, both at ceremonial functions and its school for children. She said some of the band members needed permission slips from their parents to travel with the band. "That next night was in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. Ben Cauley was born on 3 October 1947 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. These are the best Home Audio deals youll find online. One band member, Ben Cauley, survived. 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. Plans for a memorial service are pending. Cauley-Campbell said Cauley toured with Hayes, and also played with Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers and many others. 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. It was a pitch above the roof.'. Do you hate foreplay? 10,111, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Cauley urged him to hold on, but his attempts to get to his bandmates were defeated by the hard, lapping waters. In 1989, Cauley suffered a massive stroke and aneurysm. 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. ', Connected: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. He really loved his music. 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. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. He died on 21 September 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Cauley's eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. While he has long been known as the sole survivor of the crash that killed Redding, Cauley was a survivor in many other ways. "No one could play like him," she said. His music was really his life. He breathed music. ", Porter marvels not just at Cauley's resilience, but at how he continues to play and perform with the same exuberance and joy he exhibited on the Bar-Kay's delirious debut, the immortal "Soul Finger." 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. 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? Deals and discounts in Womens Active Shoes & Sneakers you dont want to miss. The teen group was in high demand at clubs, like the Hippodrome. Cauleys eldest daughter, Chekita Cauley-Campbell, said her father died late Monday at Methodist South Hospital. Once he said that, I couldn't talk. Cauley died in 2015. 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 playing with the Bar-Kays while still attending high school at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, his daughter 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. (his death) (2 children) Trivia (3) He survived the plane crash that killed Otis Redding. Save up to 50% on Smart Home when you shop now. He said, Man, thats a hit. ", Flying on little rest from the previous night, the passengers soon drifted off to sleep. He's had some terrible, traumatic experiences throughout his life. 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. But we took off going to Madison with no problems. Save up to 50% on Swimwear when you shop now. 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how did ben cauley survive plane crash