The Role Player
By Michael McKinney
There was a group by the name of the Bar-Kays. They were a famous band who played behind the extraordinary Otis Redding. But there was one member of the band who no one ever really recognizes for what he did. His name was Ben Cauley; he was born October 3, 1947. He was known as the trumpet player for the Bar-Kays, but eventually went solo. He was a great person on and off the stage, and he was always kind and always giving. If you were to look up Mr. Cauley right now, the first thing you would see is the headline “Trumpeter Ben Cauley, Survivor of Plane Crash That Killed Otis Redding, Dies at 67.” Is that all he was? Was he just a “person” that survived? Well, I am here to tell you that if you think that, you are sadly mistaken. Mr. Cauley didn’t just survive after the unfortunate plane crash that killed Otis Redding. He lived, and he did this by doing what he loved most, by playing trumpet, piano and singing. After he left the Bar-Kays, that wasn’t the end for Mr. Cauley. He went solo and was still performing until the day he died at the age of 67 years old. I think we can all take a note from Mr. Cauley. While he was in the Bar-Kays, he was always the most well-dressed guy (always in a suit) and never got into drugs. In everything he did, his plan was to uplift people, from his non-overcrowding horn lines to his extremely humble spirit. He shows us that you don’t always have to be in front to make good money. He shows us that we have to be able to follow to be able to lead. He shows us humility. In this music business, you have to be humble. Even if you have the most talent in the world, it doesn’t matter if you have a terrible attitude. People will always pick a humble person even if they have less talent. That’s why I think we should take a note from Mr. Cauley, who was a great follower who became a wonderful leader.
