Otis Redding Plane Crash Location/Memorial

On 10 December 1967, a twin-engine Beechcraft carrying Otis Redding and six members of his backing band, the Bar-Kays, crashed into the icy waters of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. The plane went down just minutes before it was due to land, in fog and light rain. Redding and four of the Bar-Kays were killed. Trumpet player Ben Cauley was the sole survivor, pulled from the freezing lake clinging to a seat cushion.

Otis Redding was just 26 years old. Three days before the crash, he had recorded (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay at Stax Studios in Memphis. Released posthumously in January 1968, it became his only number-one single and one of the most beloved songs in popular music. Redding had been on the verge of crossing over from R&B to mainstream stardom — his electrifying performance at the Monterey Pop Festival just months earlier had introduced him to a massive new audience.

A memorial plaque on the shore of Lake Monona marks the site of the crash. It sits in a small park area along the lake's edge, offering a clear view across the water to where the plane went down. The city of Madison has embraced Redding's connection to the area, and the memorial has become a pilgrimage site for soul and R&B fans from around the world.

The memorial is freely accessible on the shore of Lake Monona, close to the Monona Terrace convention centre in downtown Madison. It is a quiet, contemplative spot — especially in winter, when the lake freezes over much as it did on the day of the crash. Fans often leave flowers and small tributes at the plaque.