On This Day: Otis Redding dies in plane crash

So many great musical artists have died in plane crashes. On this day in 1967, 47 years ago, the plane carrying Otis Redding crashed in Madison, Wisconsin. Redding, a great soul singer, was traveling with his band, the Bar-Kays. Only one band member survived.

Ben Cauley was the only member of the band to survive the crash. A storm is believed to have been the main factor of the crash.

Just four months after Redding died, his song “Sittin’ On The Dock of The Bay” took the Number One spot on the pop charts.

Redding was just 26 when he died. Born on 9 September 1941 in Dawson, Georgia, his family moved to Macon when he was five. It was there young Otis joined the church choir and recognized his love of music and incredible talent. He was the son of Otis Ray Redding, Sr. and Fannie Redding. She was a housekeeper. He worked as a sharecropper, at an Air Force Base, and a preacher.

 

 

On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events. I will make every effort to keep events localized to that of my research or research I am conducting for others. However, from time to time, it will simply be a subject that captured my attention.