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Benjamin Orr

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Benjamin Orr
Orr in 1984
Orr in 1984
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin Orzechowski
BornSeptember 8, 1947
Cleveland, Ohio
DiedOctober 3, 2000(2000-10-03) (aged 53)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • bass
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • drums
Years active1965–2000
LabelsElektra
Formerly ofThe Cars · Voices of Classic Rock

Benjamin Orr (born Benjamin Orzechowski, September 8, 1947 – October 3, 2000) was an American musician. He was best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their hits, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", "Moving in Stereo", and "Drive". He also had a moderate solo hit with "Stay the Night".

Orr was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cars in 2018.[1]

Early life

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Benjamin Orzechowski was born in Lakewood, Ohio[2] to immigrant parents. His mother, Elizabeth (née Alžbeta Benová), was Carpatho-Rusyn, born in present-day Kojšov, Slovakia, and his father, Charles Orzechowski, was of Polish origin, born in present-day Ukraine.[3] Both were devout Byzantine Rite Catholics[4] and Ben's mother would not allow him to drive his first car until the local clergy had blessed it.[3] His family actively supported his musical endeavors. He became proficient in several instruments including the guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, and drums.[5]

Known locally as "Benny 11 Letters", he grew up in Lakewood, Ohio, and Parma, Ohio and attended Valley Forge High School before joining local band the Grasshoppers in 1964.[6]

Career

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The Grasshoppers: 1964–1965

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Formed in Cleveland, Ohio, the Grasshoppers were an instrumental-based foursome.[7] Their featured band members were Louis Pratile (lead guitar), Jerry Zadar (bass guitar), and Sid Turner (drummer). They were joined by the then-seventeen-year-old Orzechowski, who became their lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and sometimes doubled as a drummer.[6]

"Pink Champagne (and Red Roses)"
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In 1965, the Grasshoppers released two singles on the Sunburst label: "Mod Socks" and "Pink Champagne (and Red Roses)", the latter written by Orzechowski.

The Grasshoppers (and later the Mixed Emotions) were also the house band on the Big 5 Show, more commonly known as Upbeat, a musical variety television show produced by WEWS-TV in Cleveland.[5]

Mixed Emotions: 1966

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The Grasshoppers dissolved in 1966 when two of the band members were drafted into the U.S. Army. Orzechowski then played in the band Mixed Emotions, which featured Joe Kurelic (drummer), Chris Kamburoff (rhythm guitar), David Gardina (bass guitar), and Jimmy Vince with Orzechowski (lead guitar) as lead vocalists.[8] The band recorded three unreleased tracks: "Forever You Have My Heart", "I'll Do My Cryin' In The Rain" and "I Can't Help It".[9]

He later joined another band, the Colours. Eventually Orzechowski was drafted as well, although he received a deferment after approximately a year and a half in the Army.[10][11]

Various groups: ID Nirvana, Leatherwood

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Orr first met Ric Ocasek in Cleveland in the mid-1960s, after Ocasek saw Orr performing with the Grasshoppers on the Big 5 Show.[12] A few years later, Orr moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he and Ocasek formed a musical partnership that would continue in various incarnations (until the break-up of the Cars in 1988). In the late 1960s, they formed the bands ID Nirvana and Leatherwood, performing in and around Ohio State University.[12]

Milkwood: 1970–1972

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In the early 1970s, after moving to Boston, Massachusetts, the two musicians formed the folk trio Milkwood with guitarist Jim Goodkind. The group was named after a Dylan Thomas poem called "Under Milkwood".[13] In 1972, the group released one album, How's the Weather? under Paramount Records which failed to chart.[14] From the list of songs on the album, Orr wrote "Lincoln Park".[13]

Various groups: Ocasek & Orr, Richard and the Rabbits

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Remaining in Boston, the duo Ocasek and Orr then formed another band, Richard and the Rabbits, featuring keyboardist Greg Hawkes.

Cap'n Swing: 1975–1976

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This was followed by another Ocasek and Orr band, Cap'n Swing, "an almost famous band". The additional band members included guitarist Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, Todd Roberto, Danny (Schliftman) Louis, and Glenn Evans.[15]

They would perform songs such as "City Lights", "Jezebel", "Strawberry Moonlight", "Will You Still Love Me Tonight", and "Come Back Down". A few of these songs would make an appearance in the early days of the Cars, in 1977. In later years, there was a CD released labelled the Jezebel album, which contained demos.[15]

After the group broke up in 1976, Orr, Ocasek, Hawkes, Easton and drummer David Robinson formed the Cars.

The Cars: 1977–1988

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Main article: The Cars
Benjamin Orr, bassist of The Cars on The Midnight Special, September 28, 1979

As a member of the Cars, Orr sang lead vocal on some of the band's best-known songs, including their first hit in the top 40, "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", and "Drive", their highest-charting single in the United States.

Orr's work with the Cars spanned eleven years and six studio albums culminating with Door to Door, before the group disbanded in 1988. Afterwards, he and the other members pursued solo work.

Solo career

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Orr released his only solo album, The Lace, in 1986. He cowrote the music and lyrics with his long-time girlfriend Diane Grey Page, who also sang backing vocals and appeared on the album's back cover.[16]

The album featured a top-40 pop and top-10 album rock hit, "Stay the Night".[17] An accompanying music video for the song was played in heavy rotation on MTV.[18] A second single, "Too Hot to Stop", was also released, but did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, although it reached No. 25 on the album rock chart.

In the late 1980s, Orr worked with Joni Mitchell's husband Larry Klein, who coproduced The Lace. Orr provided backing vocals for "Number One" and "The Beat of Black Wings" for Mitchell's 1988 album Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm.[19]

In the mid-1990s, Orr recorded tracks with guitarist John Kalishes for an unreleased follow-up album to The Lace, including a rendition of Stan Meissner's "River of Fire". Although the album was never officially released, multiple tracks exist.[20]

Various groups: ORR Band, Voices of Classic Rock, Big People

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From 1998 until his death in 2000, Orr performed with his own band ORR and two side bands, Voices of Classic Rock with Mickey Thomas and John Cafferty,[21][22] and cover band Big People[2] with Pat Travers, Jeff Carlisi (of 38 Special), Derek St. Holmes (of Ted Nugent's band) and Liberty DeVitto (of Billy Joel's band).

Personal life

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Orr was married twice and had one son.[23]

Illness and death

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In April 2000, Orr was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and hospitalized.[24] However, he continued to perform with the band Big People throughout that summer at music festivals and state fairs. He reunited with the Cars one last time in Atlanta for an interview that was included in the Rhino Records concert video The Cars Live.

Orr died from the disease at his home in Atlanta on October 3, 2000 at the age of 53.[25][26] He had made his final public appearance less than six weeks earlier on August 25, performing with Big People in Anchorage, Alaska.[citation needed] Bandmates Jeff Carlisi, Derek St. Holmes and Rob Wilson were at Orr's bedside when he died.[27]

Ric Ocasek wrote and recorded the song "Silver" as a musical tribute to Orr.[28] It appeared on Ocasek's 2005 solo album Nexterday.[29] The Cars reunited ten years after Orr's death and released their seventh studio album, Move Like This, in May 2011.[30] Orr was given special thanks in the liner notes: "Ben, your spirit was with us on this one."[31]

Discography

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Solo albums

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With the Grasshoppers

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  • "Mod Socks" b/w "Twin Beat" (1965) Sunburst Records
  • "Pink Champagne (and Red Roses)" b/w "The Wasp" (1965) Sunburst Records

With Milkwood

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  • How's the Weather? (1973)

With the Cars

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Participation

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Solo singles

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Title Release Peak chart positions Album
US US Rock US AC AUS[32] CAN
"Stay the Night" 1986 24 6 2 66 31 The Lace
"Too Hot to Stop" 1987 — 25 — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Orr lead vocals: The Cars

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Title Release Album
"Just What I Needed" 1978 The Cars
"Bye Bye Love"
"Moving In Stereo"
"All Mixed Up"
"Let's Go" 1979 Candy-O
"Since I Held You"*
"It's All I Can Do"
"Candy-O"
"You Can't Hold On Too Long"
"Don't Tell Me No" 1980 Panorama
"Down Boys"
"You Wear Those Eyes"
"Running To You"
"Cruiser" 1981 Shake It Up
"This Could Be Love"
"Think It Over"
"Drive" 1984 Heartbeat City
"Stranger Eyes"
"It's Not the Night"
"You Are the Girl"* 1987 Door to Door
"Double Trouble"
"Everything You Say"
"Coming Up You"
"Go Away"

References

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  1. ^ "The Cars". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Benjamin Orr's | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  3. ^ a b Milliken, Joe (2019). Let's Go! Benjamin Orr and the Cars. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-5381-4318-6.
  4. ^ "BYZANTINE RITE CATHOLICS". May 11, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Zaleski, Annie (October 4, 2016). "Benjamin Orr Before the Cars". Ultimate Classic Rock.
  6. ^ a b Scott, Jane. "Meet the Men with Green Feet" The Plain Dealer January 30, 1965: 34
  7. ^ "The Grasshoppers (5)". Discogs. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Breuski, Cathy (1966). "Mixed emotions single hope".
  9. ^ "popsike.com - The MIXED EMOTIONS - UNRELEASED ACETATE-Benjamin Orr-The Cars HEAR - auction details". www.popsike.com. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Scott, Jane. "The Cars take off fast in record derby" The Plain Dealer June 9, 1978: Friday 28
  11. ^ Adams, Deanna. Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection (2002): 50–52
  12. ^ a b Scott, Jane. "Cars are roaring back; Blossom is a sell-out" The Plain Dealer August 7, 1984: 5-C
  13. ^ a b Fields, Alan. "Alan Fields digs into Milkwood". sweetpurplejune January 19, 2023.
  14. ^ "Milkwood Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
  15. ^ a b NiGHT THOUGHTS: The Cars Podcast (February 13, 2019). "NiGHT THOUGHTS Episode 47: Cap'n Swing". YouTube. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "The Lace – Benjamin Orr | Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  17. ^ Whitburn, Joel. Rock Tracks (2002): 103
  18. ^ "MTV Programming" Billboard December 13, 1986: 42
  19. ^ Rapp, Allison (May 15, 2023). "35 of the Best Joni Mitchell Collaborations". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  20. ^ "Benjamin Orr – Unreleased Songs 1988-1998". Discogs. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  21. ^ "Rock musician Benjamin Orr dies". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. October 5, 2000. p. B2. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  22. ^ "Voices of Classic Rock & Rockforever.com – Presents BEN ORR". March 24, 2008. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
  23. ^ Reformer, Chris Mays, Brattleboro (November 14, 2018). "'Let's Go': Book gets behind wheel with Benjamin Orr of The Cars". Bennington Banner.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ "The Cars' Benjamin Orr hospitalized". MTV.com. May 24, 2000. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  25. ^ Niesel, Jeff (November 13, 2000). "Friends and Bandmates Pay Tribute to Ben Orr". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  26. ^ Petkovic, John (November 10, 2000). "A Rock Star Who Stayed True to his Roots". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio.
  27. ^ Saidman, Sorelle (October 4, 2000). "MTV reports Benjamin Orr's death". MTV.com. Retrieved July 18, 2011.[dead link‍]
  28. ^ Browne, David (October 18, 2019). "The Mystery of Ric Ocasek: 'He Tried for Happiness, But Underneath Was a Lot of Pain'". Rolling Stone.
  29. ^ "Nexterday – Ric Ocasek | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  30. ^ Spitz, Marc (May 5, 2011). "Q&A: Ric Ocasek of the Cars". Vanity Fair.
  31. ^ "Ben Orr". December 28, 2012.
  32. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 226. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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