Ben Cauley

Ben Cauley can be heard on hundreds of Stax Record hits including those with Otis Redding.  Ben was a member of Otis's backup band called the Bar-Kays, which originated as the horn section at the Stax studio in Memphis beginning in the 1960s. Ben was the only survivor of the plane crash that took the lives of three members of the Bar-Kays-- Otis Redding  and  3 others.  Music served as a major factor in his recovery from that horrible day and over time Ben was able to return to the stage, often noting that his appearances were dedicated to the friends he lost. You can hear the difference between his speaking voice and singing voice in this segment, which is thought to be his last recorded performance.  Ben passed away just two months later.