Benjamin Orr (September 8, 1947 – October 3, 2000) was the bass guitar player and one of the vocalists for the New Wave band The Cars. He sang several of The Cars' greatest hits, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go" and "Drive".
Born Benjamin Orzechowski in Lakewood, Ohio, to Russian and Czechoslovak parents, who actively supported his musical endeavors. He became proficient in several instruments including the guitar, bass guitar, keyboard...
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Benjamin Orr (September 8, 1947 – October 3, 2000) was the bass guitar player and one of the vocalists for the New Wave band The Cars. He sang several of The Cars' greatest hits, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go" and "Drive".
Born Benjamin Orzechowski in Lakewood, Ohio, to Russian and Czechoslovak parents, who actively supported his musical endeavors. He became proficient in several instruments including the guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, and drums. Known locally as "Benny 11-Letters," he grew up in Lakewood, Ohio and Parma, Ohio and dropped out of Valley Forge High School to join a local band The Grasshoppers as lead singer and guitarist. The Grasshoppers were the house band on the syndicated TV show Upbeat produced by WEWS-TV in Cleveland. 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 dissolved in 1967 when two of the band members were drafted,...
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