*** Welcome to piglix ***

Bar Kays

The Bar-Kays
Origin Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Genres R&B, soul, funk
Years active 1966–1989, 1991–present
Labels Stax, Mercury, Rhino, Island Records
Associated acts Otis Redding, Albert King
Members James Alexander
Larry Dodson
Past members Ben Cauley
Ronnie Caldwell
Carl Cunningham
Phalon Jones
Jimmie King
Harvey Henderson
Ronnie Gorden
Willie Hall
Michael Toles
Winston Stewart
Charles "Scoops" Allen
Alvin Hunter
Barry Wilkins
Lloyd Smith
Mike Beard
Frank Thompson
Sherman Guy
Larry "LJ" Johnson
Marcus Price
Tony Gentry
Archie Love
Bryan Smith

The Bar-Kays are an American soul, R&B, and funk group formed in 1966. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" (US Billboard Hot 100 number 17, R&B number 3) in 1967, "Son of Shaft" (R&B number 10) in 1972, and "Boogie Body Land" (R&B number 7) in 1980.

The Bar-Kays began in Memphis, Tennessee, as a studio session group, backing major artists at Stax Records. In 1967 they were chosen by Otis Redding to play as his backing band and were tutored for that role by Al Jackson, Jr., Booker T. Jones, and the other members of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Their first single, "Soul Finger", was issued on April 14, 1967, reaching number 3 on the US Billboard R&B Singles chart and number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. On December 10, 1967, Redding and four members of the band—Jimmie King (born June 8, 1949; guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (born December 27, 1948; electric organ), Phalon Jones (born 1948; saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (born 1948; drums)—and their partner, Matthew Kelly, died when their airplane crashed into Lake Monona, near Madison, Wisconsin, while attempting to land at Truax Field. Redding and the band were scheduled to play their next concerts in Madison. Trumpeter Ben Cauley was the only survivor of the crash. Bassist James Alexander was on another plane, as the plane carrying Redding held only seven passengers. Cauley and Alexander rebuilt the group.


...
Wikipedia

...