When Ben Cauley left Madison in 1967, he was 20-year-old still in shock. The trumpeter and singer was the only survivor of the plane crash that killed Otis Redding and other members of his band, The Bar-Kays. The group was on their way to a show in Madison when their plane plunged into Lake Monona. Cauley played a few songs, including "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay," one of the group's most famous. It was recorded just three days before their trip to Madison. Cauley was rescued from the icy waters and suffered only minor injuries. He got a standing ovation Monday night at a tribute ceremony at Monona Terrace. Several hundred people attended the event, which also featured Redding memorabilia and a screening of a newly released D-V-D on Redding's life and music.
Wisconsin News and Sports
