Bar-Kays

The Bar-Kays were originally formed in Memphis, Tennessee, 1966, as a sextet backing group for Stax Records. They looked like they had a healthy career in front of them as a session band & recording outfit before the backbone of the group was killed, along with Otis Redding who had hired them as his backing band for a tour, in a horrific plane crash.

Only Ben Cauley survived the crash and went on to form what could be dubbed Bar-Kays Mark II. James Alexander (Bass) was also one of the original members but was not aboard the plane because of limited seats on Redding's plane. For Alexander and Cauley and new members Michael Toles, Willie Hall, Ronnie Gordon and Harvey Henderson, the track 'Sang & Dance' was one of the first tracks from the new group, cut in late 1969.