The lone survivor of the 1967 plane crash that claimed soul legend Otis Redding
In short: Ben Cauley was a founding member of the Bar-Kays, the legendary Stax house band. In 1967, he became the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash in Wisconsin that killed Otis Redding and four of his bandmates. Cauley’s miraculous escape and subsequent life offer a profound story of resilience.
Born in South Memphis in 1947, Ben Cauley was a trumpet player and vocalist who helped form the Bar-Kays in the mid-1960s. By 1966, the group had joined the Stax studio, where they were groomed by Al Jackson Jr. to serve as the label's second house band. Their talent caught the attention of Otis Redding, who selected them as his touring backing band in the summer of 1967. This partnership led to their presence on Redding's private Beechcraft H18 plane during a demanding tour schedule that took them to Nashville and Cleveland.
On December 10, 1967, while commuting to Madison, Wisconsin, the plane crashed into the freezing waters of Lake Monona. Cauley, who had been sleeping in the co-pilot's seat, awoke to find himself unable to breathe. He unbuckled his seatbelt, a decision that allowed him to escape the wreckage while his bandmates remained trapped. Rescue efforts were hampered by the extreme cold; authorities noted that survival in such icy conditions was limited to roughly 20 minutes without specialized gear. Cauley survived, but the loss of his friends and colleagues was a devastating blow.
Following the tragedy, Cauley and bassist James Alexander—who had taken a separate flight—reformed the Bar-Kays. They continued to contribute to the Stax legacy, performing at the historic 1972 Wattstax concert. Despite his contributions, financial instability led Cauley to leave the group in 1971 to support his two daughters. He later survived a debilitating stroke in 1989 and continued to perform in Memphis until his death in 2015 at age 67. His legacy was honored in 2008 with the establishment of the Ben Cauley scholarship and his 2015 induction into the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
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