Ben Orr(1947-2000)
- Actor
- Composer
Bassist and singer Ben Orr was born Benjamin Orzechowski on September
8, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. His Russian and Czechoslovakian parents
actively encouraged his musical endeavors. Ben grew up in Lakewood and
Parma Heights, Ohio. He played bass, keyboards, and percussion
instruments in his teen years. Known locally as "Benny 11-Letters", Orr
dropped out of Valley Forge High School to join the group, "The
Grasshoppers", as both the lead singer and guitarist. "The
Grasshoppers" were the house band on the local Cleveland TV music
variety show, "Upbeat"; the group also released two singles on the
Sunburst label and dissolved in 1967 after two members were drafted.
Ben got drafted as well, but received a deferment after serving one and
a half years in the Army. In 1970, Orr moved to Columbus, Ohio and met
mellow musician, Ric Ocasek; the two formed a
folk band called "Milkwood". "Milkwood" released an album, titled
"How's the Weather?", in 1972. In the mid 70s, Ben became a member of
the Boston, Massachusetts nightclub group, "Cap'n Swing"; two other
members of this particular band were Ocasek and guitarist
Elliot Easton. "Cap'n Swing"
broke up in 1975. In 1976, Orr, Ocasek, Easton, drummer
David Robinson, and keyboardist
Greg Hawkes formed the hugely popular,
successful and innovative New Wave synth-pop band,
The Cars. Ben sang lead vocals on such hit
"Cars" songs as "Bye, Bye Love", "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go",
"Drive" and "Moving in Stereo". In 1986, he recorded the solo album,
"The Lace", which beget the Top 40 hit song, "Stay the Night".
Moreover, Orr was featured on Ocasek's solo album, "This Side of
Paradise", and the Joni Mitchell albums,
"Misses" and "Chalk Mark, in a Rain Storm". Ben left
The Cars in 1987. From 1998 up until his death,
Ben performed with his own band, "Orr", and the side bands, "Big
People" and "the Voices of Classic Rock". He reunited with
The Cars for the documentary
The Cars: Live (2000) in
the summer of 2000. Orr died at age 53 from pancreatic cancer on
October 3, 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia.
