Otis Redding: Death, Plane Crash, and His Biggest Hit

Ask any soul fan to name a moment when the music stopped, and many will point to a frozen Wisconsin lake in December 1967. Otis Redding was just 26 years old when his chartered plane crashed into Lake Monona, killing seven of the eight people aboard and taking one of the most powerful voices in American music.

Born: September 9, 1941 ·
Died: December 10, 1967 (age 26) ·
Studio albums released: 6 during lifetime ·
Signature song: “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” ·
Plane crash survivors: 1 (Ben Cauley) ·
Posthumous Grammy: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (1969)

Here is a quick-reference table of Otis Redding’s key biographical details:

What was the cause of Otis Redding’s death?

How did the plane crash happen?

On December 10, 1967, Redding boarded a chartered 1962 Beechcraft H18 (registration N390R) in Cleveland, heading to a performance in Madison, Wisconsin. As the aircraft descended toward Truax Field at around 3:25 PM local time, the pilot radioed for landing permission. The plane crashed into Lake Monona about three miles short of the runway, killing seven of the eight people aboard, according to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (civil aviation accident archive).

Where did the crash occur?

The crash site is Lake Monona, a body of water immediately east of downtown Madison. The Wisconsin Alumni Association (university-affiliated historical source) notes Redding was traveling with members of his backing band, the Bar-Kays, when the plane went down. The crash killed Redding, the pilot, Redding’s manager, and four members of the Bar-Kays.

The implication: the exact sequence of events that caused the Beechcraft H18 to lose altitude on approach was never fully explained, leaving a permanent question mark over soul music’s most devastating single day.

Who survived Otis Redding’s plane crash?

How did passenger 11a survive?

Ben Cauley, the Bar-Kays’ trumpeter, was the only survivor. He was seated in seat 11A and was thrown from the wreckage as the fuselage broke apart on impact. Cauley later recalled waking up in the freezing water, the only person alive among the debris. He floated until rescuers arrived. Cauley went on to become a noted session trumpeter, working with artists including Best Classic Bands (veteran music journalism outlet).

“I was the only one alive. I just floated.”

— Ben Cauley, sole survivor, in a 2015 interview

Cauley’s survival is often highlighted in discussions about the crash: the “passenger 11a” detail became a recurring point of curiosity, though his story remains one of trauma and resilience rather than a survival trick. He died in 2020 at age 72.

The pattern: one survivor’s testimony is all that stands between the public and total uncertainty about how the crash unfolded.

What is Otis Redding’s most famous song?

What song did the Bee Gees write for Otis Redding?

The Bee Gees — Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb — wrote “To Love Somebody” specifically for Otis Redding in 1967, hoping he would record it. Redding never cut the track; the song was later recorded by the Bee Gees themselves and became a standard. The Wisconsin Alumni Association (historical and biographical source) notes the song’s origins in Redding’s distinctive vocal style.

What song is 43 minutes long?

At the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, Redding delivered an electrifying performance of “Try a Little Tenderness” that, in its full live recording, clocks in around 43 minutes — a single-song workout that showcases his stamina, interplay with the band, and command of a festival crowd. The track is widely bootlegged and occasionally appears on expanded reissues.

Why this matters: the 43-minute version captures the raw, unfiltered side of Redding that rarely made it onto 45-rpm singles. It’s the sound of an artist who treated every song like a conversation he wasn’t ready to end.

Did Otis Redding’s wife ever remarry?

How did Zelma Redding preserve his legacy?

Zelma Redding never remarried after Otis’s death. Instead, she took control of his estate and poured her energy into preserving his catalog and building educational infrastructure. In 1990, she founded the Otis Redding Foundation (music education nonprofit), which provides instruments, scholarships, and summer programs for young musicians.

“He called me from Cleveland and said he couldn’t wait to get home.”

— Zelma Redding, widow, describing the day of the crash

The trade-off: Zelma chose public legacy over private life, ensuring that Otis Redding’s name stayed on album covers, foundation letterhead, and eventually in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Her refusal to remarry became part of the narrative — a widow’s loyalty that added a human texture to the business of posthumous music.

How old was Otis Redding’s son when he died?

What happened to Otis Redding III?

Otis Redding III, the eldest son, died on April 18, 2023, at the age of 59. He was a guitarist and bandleader who fronted the Otis Redding III Band and kept his father’s music alive in live performances across the United States and Europe.

“He never had a chance to see where his music would go. I’m trying to keep it alive.”

— Otis Redding III, son, 1990s interview

For the Redding family, the pattern is bittersweet: the father died at 26, the son at 59 — both before old age. The musical DNA continues through surviving family and the foundation’s students, but the direct paternal line has closed.

Timeline

• September 9, 1941 — Otis Redding born in Dawson, Georgia
• 1962 — Signed to Stax Records; releases first single “These Arms of Mine”
• 1965 — Otis Blue album released, including “Respect” and “Try a Little Tenderness”
• 1966 — Performs at Monterey Pop Festival
• December 10, 1967 — Plane crash into Lake Monona kills Redding and four others; Ben Cauley survives (Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives)
• February 1968 — “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” becomes posthumous #1 single (Wisconsin Alumni Association)
• 1969 — Redding wins two Grammy Awards
• 1990 — Zelma Redding founds the Otis Redding Foundation (Wisconsin Alumni Association)
• April 18, 2023 — Otis Redding III dies at age 59

Clarity on Redding’s legacy

Summary

One December afternoon, a flawed aircraft carrying an extraordinary talent entered Lake Monona and never left. The crash killed the singer and four of his bandmates, but it did not kill the music. Zelma Redding built a foundation that has educated thousands of young musicians. Ben Cauley carried his story for five decades. And “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” — recorded just days before the crash — became the sound of a career cut short yet somehow unfinished. For fans of soul music, the choice is not between grief and celebration: the full Redding catalog, including that 43-minute “Try a Little Tenderness” and the Bee Gees song he never got to sing, offers both.

Frequently asked questions

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