1. Benjamin Orr was best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the band the Cars.
12 Facts About Benjamin Orr
1. 2.
Benjamin Orr had a moderate solo hit with "Stay the Night".
3.
Benjamin Orr Orzechowski was born in Lakewood, Ohio to immigrant parents.
4.
Benjamin Orr's mother, Elizabeth, was Carpatho-Rusyn, born in present-day Kojsov, Slovakia, and his father, Charles Orzechowski, was of Polish origin, born in present-day Ukraine.
5.
Benjamin Orr became proficient in several instruments including the guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, and drums.
6.
Benjamin Orr first met Ric Ocasek in Cleveland in the mid-1960s, after Ocasek saw Benjamin Orr performing with the Grasshoppers on the Big 5 Show.
7.
Benjamin Orr released his only solo album, The Lace, in 1986.
8.
Benjamin Orr cowrote the music and lyrics with his long-time girlfriend Diane Grey Page, who sang backing vocals and appeared on the album's back cover.
9.
Benjamin Orr provided backing vocals for "Number One" and "The Beat of Black Wings" for Mitchell's 1988 album Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm.
10.
From 1998 until his death in 2000, Benjamin Orr performed with his own band ORR and two side bands, Voices of Classic Rock with Mickey Thomas and John Cafferty, and cover band Big People with Pat Travers, Jeff Carlisi, Derek St Holmes and Liberty DeVitto.
11.
Benjamin Orr reunited with the Cars one last time in Atlanta for an interview that was included in the Rhino Records concert video The Cars Live.
12.
Benjamin Orr died from the disease at his home in Atlanta on October 3,2000, at the age of 53.