The Bar-Kays - "Soul Finger" (1967)

The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" (U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #17, R&B #3) in 1967, and "Son of Shaft" (R&B #10) in 1972.

The Bar-Kays began in Memphis, Tennessee as a studio session musician group, backing major artists at Stax Records. They were chosen in 1967 by Otis Redding to play as his backing band. On December 10, 1967, Redding, his manager, and band members Jimmy King (b. 1949; guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (b. 1948; electric organ), Phalon Jones (b. 1949; saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (b. 1949; drums) died in a plane crash in Lake Monona while on their way to a performance in Madison, Wisconsin. Trumpeter Ben Cauley survived the crash and bassist James Alexander was on another plane, since there were eight members in Redding's party and the chartered plane could only hold seven. Cauley and Alexander rebuilt the group.

The re-formed band consisted of Cauley; Alexander; Harvey Henderson, saxophone; Michael Toles, guitar; Ronnie Gorden, organ; Willie Hall, drums and later Larry Dodson, lead vocals. The group backed dozens of major Stax artists on recordings afterwards, including Isaac Hayes's Hot Buttered Soul.

Cauley left the group in 1971, with Lloyd Smith joining in 1973 and the band changed musical direction in the during that decade to have a successful funk music career on Mercury Records. The Bar-Kays continued to have hits on R&B charts well into the 1980s. Marcus Price was also a member of the Bar-Kays, until he was murdered coming from rehearsal in 1984, a crime never solved by the Memphis police. The band took a hiatus in the late 1980s, but regrouped in 1991, with Alexander once again being the only original member involved.

Alexander's son is the award-winning rapper and record producer, Phalon "Jazze Pha" Alexander, who was named after Phalon Jones.

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• Bar-Kays
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[jbyesterday]

45 years ago today I performed with my band "The Elements of Sound" for my Jr High School's auditorium in NYC. This was one of the songs I'm proud to say we played. It was a rockin' boss song back then(67), & it still rocks today....with even more appreciation from my heart & soul.

[puddins51]

ooo gosh i remember this song playin back then, totally awsome

[jowblow2]

Superbad theme song :P

[astraight4u]

This is cool ol' school jam!

[TheMustangsally75]

MUCH better quality & LOUD-NESS then my previous youtube uo-load! Too bad I de-leted my preious B-4 I could share this w/another that had the same problem1

[RunawayTrane]

The new Barkays were badassss for sure, but the original Barkays were the Funkidoobiest

[DroidWorthy]

Someone convinced me that it was not the Bar-Kays with Otis on that doomed plane. They said it was the Mar-Keys and only after reading this do I know that the band I saw in 1967 in Fayetteville Arkansas was virtually wiped out in that crash. I remember the charisma of Alexander and his and his son's success doesn't surprise me. I will never forget James and dancing to Soul Finger at the Sigma Chi Formal in the crowded HI near the Univ. of Arkansas Campus.

[DredScott810]

STAX FOREVER!

[mattratt512]

i could lock to this like a fool.

[80Teky]

I haven't found, on Youtube, a version with better sound than this one. Excellent!