Ben Orr (1947-2000)
 New Wave fans lost one of the music's founders with the passing on October 3rd of Ben Orr. Bassist for '80s superstars The Cars, Orr died in Atlanta of pancreatic cancer. He was 45. Born Benjamin Orzechowski in Lakewood, Ohio, Orr took to music at an early age, learning several instruments and playing in a Cleveland-area teen band called The Grasshoppers. When the band failed to survive the draft, Ben teamed up with another local musician for a much more enduring partnership -- Ric Ocasek. The two played together in various outfits in Ohio, New York, and Michigan before winding up in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the mid-1970s. Orr and Ocasek were soon joined by guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson, and The Cars were born. The group was an immediate sensation. "Just What I Needed" was added in heavy rotation to Boston's WBCN radio station while still a demo; the band's self-titled debut was recorded in two weeks and quickly went platinum. Their edgy, hook-filled songs drove follow-up releases Candy-O, Panorama, Shake It Up, and Heartbeat City to similar success. Ben was lead vocalist on many of The Cars' most memorable recordings, including "My Best Friend's Girl," "Let's Go," and their biggest hit, "Drive." Orr also cut a solo album, The Lace, scoring a Top 30 single with "Stay The Night." The five members of The Cars reconvened in Boston earlier this year to film an interview -- their first as a band in more than a decade -- for inclusion in Rhino Home Video's Cars Live VHS/DVD. Set for release at the end of October, a portion of the proceeds from this will be donated to a pancreatic cancer foundation now being set up in Ben's name.
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Comments:
What an incredible band. My wife & I were roller skating to their music in the early 80's in Australia & we have fond memories of their music. I recently lost a good friend to Pancreatic Cancer, hope science will find a way to detect this disease at an early stage...always remembered, Rick
i miss ben, and knowing him on a personal level he was a good friend and an awsome musician, it isn't fair that all these friends and fans would like to have bens "The lace" re-released, but the folks at Rhino records are being selfish unfeeling to those of us who truely loved him and his music i think they should seriously reconsider releasing it again if they are worried about "making money" i'm sure the sales of the re-release will be more than they could possibly imagine! "Here's to you my lost friend, i hope that they will listen and make it happen for you and all of us who miss you! Forever missed Ben.
your friend R-03
Benjamins cd The Lace will be a re-issue by wounded bird records this summer!
id like to know when youre planning to release orr's final CD co produced with John Kalishes? There is a plethora of fan out there that want this. please dont deprive us anymore.
I love the Cars. What a great, great band.
Cannot understand why Ben Orr's solo album, "The Lace", can't be re-released on CD. Many of his fans miss him and cannot buy his music anymore!!
Great band and great singer, just a real smooth voice and wonderful talent.
Here in Japan, "The Lace" cd is being traded for 110$~120$ at some auction. That means there are still many his fans here, I think. Would you please reissue "The Lace"? And I'd like to listen to the new songs that he recorded in '90s, too.
Please re-release ben's the lace cd
I remember hearing of his passing after his solo release. He was truly gifted, his loss truly sad. He was a large part of what defined the 80's and the Cars sound still reverberates through the music of more contemporary pop bands.
Tim
You have him dying at age 45, but it says from 1947 to 2000, sounds more like 53.
I would like to share the genius of Ben Orr with my kids, but I can not find "The Lace" CD for under $75.00. I used to have cassette, but it has long since passed. Please re-release "The Lace."
I love THE CARS and BEN ORR's solo release "The lace" even more. I heard it on vynyl in 80's and i have this rare item ion CD. Re-release it, please, because many people can't find copy. From Russia with love. Andrey, 43.
Why don't you rerelease "the lace"by Benjamin Orr?
I liked the cars myself.. An incrdible band along w/ a great Rock & Roller!! Will always remember Rick.. btw, to who it concerns!! Rick was 53 when he died, not 45!! THANKS :)
great and informing, Thanks
How could Ben have been born in 1947, live until 2000, and be 45?
Please check your facts here, as you have this in your current news letter.
I love the Cars...Benjamin was my favorite. I had tickets to their last concert that was cancelled. I was really bummed. I only regret that I didn't get to see them in concert. What a great sound and great people. Sorry but the "New Cars" is not the Cars. Cathy
On your Web Page noting the death of the Cars Ben Orr, you say he was born in 1947 and died in 2000. That's 53 years. Yet in the article you note he was 45.
when he died. Who checks this stuff?
What a wonderful, talented, extremely handsome man. Wish I could have met him.
I would like to know if Elaine Orr of the jazz group Straight Ahead was related to Benjamin Orr. She is from Boston, which is where The Cars were based out of, so I was thinking maybe they were related. She is also an awesome musician (keyboards) in her own right.
My parents listened to the cars! I first heard of them because of that Circuit City commercial. Then my Dad bought the Live Aid concert and I saw them there. The first c.d. that I ever listened to of them was The Complete Greatest Hits, which was released just a few years ago. You know how you usually have to listen to a c.d. a few times before you actually get used to all of the songs? Nope! Not with this one! I liked it the first time I heard it. We also got Ben Orr's "The Lace" off of Amazon at a decent price. WE plan on getting every record that has been made into a c.d. that they ever made. We also have The CArs: Unlocked, The Cars Live 1984-1985, and that one where they toured in Germany. They are my very favorite band. I really wish that Benjamin was still here, but I guess it was just his time to go. The world misses him.
soooooooooooooooooooooooooo sad!!!!
um, he was born in lakewood ohio on september 8 1947.he was 53 when he passed away.he ought to be in all the hall of fames internationally, with ric and the boys.
i can't believe you'd lie about his age after he's already in heaven, he never lied about it when he was alive.
he was one of the most brilliant musicians that ever lived, or ever will live, and his legacy continues forever-
we all miss him.
todd is a very, very poor placebo-although benjamin would have approved of kasim sultan bigtime.
Bennie was born Aug.9,1947.NEVER will there be ANYONE with a voice or smile like that to compare.a TRUE gentleman,always,fjf
I was lucky to have met Ben on March 23, 1982.
BEN ORR, R.I.P. YOU WILL BE TRULY MISSED.
MIKE.
I just became a fan of The Cars all over again. I viewed two of their DVDs out now (Unlocked & Live in Germany) - and I fell in love all over again with their music. I wish Ben was still here to play & sing for us fans. I so miss not being able to see him in concert. A Cars re-union would have been the BEST thing to ever ever happen. If only... things had turned out different. BEN! The Fans love you! And miss you!
ben doesnt sing My Best Friend's Girl, Ric does.
RELEASE HIS RECORDINGS WITH John Kalishes IN THE BAND "ORR"!!!!!!
I was very pregnant on October 3, 2000 with my son, when I heard of his untimely passing. So I named my son Benjamin. I was and still am a HUGE Cars fan!
Please try to get more performance DVD'S for THE CARS. Especially the live concert in Houston in 1984 which I have seen many tracks from on YouTube...Thanks ever...Sharyn
I'm sad that such a talent as ben orr is gone. I wish that i could have been luckily and privledged to see 'the cars' in concert. Like everyone who adored ben i wish he were still with us and still making beautiful music! I will always miss him. Liz
I just found out about Ben Orr's Passing on... I am in shock. He truly had the most beautiful voice. He and The Cars were Trail Blazers beyond compare. God Bless his family,he will be missed.
I thought about BENJAMIN ORR all day today, 10-3-07. Listened to "IT'S ALL I CAN DO" repeatedly in my auto. He was my fave "Car" vocalist/musician. I looked him up on the 'net' and discovered he passed away on OCT.3, 2000 - I knew he'd passed away back then, but, no clue on the date.
I always loved The Cars, and recently saw their two DVD's (Unlocked & Cars Live 1979). I've been listening to their CD's a lot lately, and I'm still sad that Ben is gone. He was my favorite and he was such a talented musician with a beautiful voice. I wish I could have seen The Cars in concert. Miss you Ben!
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