Adamany Reflects On Redding

A recent Otis Redding tribute in Madison, Wis., drew not only residents and fans but the sole survivor of Redding’s band to the city, 40 years after the plane crash that killed the singer and the Bar-Kays.

Redding and his band were booked by promoter Ken Adamany to play two shows at the Factory on December 10, 1967, but the plane carrying the band into the city crashed into nearby Lake Monona.

"We were told they were busing in from Cleveland," Adamany told the Wisconsin State Journal. "That’s why when I got the first phone call, I didn’t believe it.

"One of the detectives called me and asked, ‘Are you expecting an orchestra flying in?’ I didn’t know what he was talking about for two reasons: One, it wasn’t an orchestra and, two, they were coming in by bus."

People had already lined up for the show, and Adamany presented a free concert that evening after breaking the news of the crash to the fans.

Trumpeter Ben Cauley, who hadn’t returned to the city since the crash, said he just couldn’t bring himself to come back to Madison until now.

"I knew one day I would come back," he said. "There were a number of times that I thought about it but I didn’t have the strength. I’m coming this time."

Cauley performed Redding classics including "Dock of the Bay" and "Try a Little Tenderness" for a crowd of about 500, according to the Capital Times.

Attempts to reach Adamany were unsuccessful at press time.