Benjamin Orr - wikipedia Benjamin Orr For other people named Benjamin Orr, see Benjamin Orr ( disambiguation ). Benjamin Orr Orr in 1978 on The Midnight Special Background information Birth name Benjamin Orzechowski September 8, 1947 Lakewood, Ohio October 3, 2000 ( 2000 - 10 - 03 ) ( aged 53 ) Atlanta, Georgia Genres Rock, new wave Occupation ( s ) Musician, singer, songwriter Instruments Bass guitar vocals Years active 1965 -- 2000 Labels Elektra Associated acts The Cars, Voices of Classic Rock, Big People Benjamin Orzechowski ( September 8, 1947 -- October 3, 2000 ), known professionally as Benjamin Orr, was an American musician best known as a singer, bassist and co-founder of the rock band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their best known songs, including `` Just What I Needed '', `` Let 's Go '' and `` Drive ''. He also scored 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. Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Illness and death 3 Discography 3.1 Solo albums 3.2 With the Grasshoppers 3.3 With Milkwood 3.4 With the Cars 3.5 Solo singles 4 References 5 External links Early life and career Benjamin Orr was born in Lakewood, Ohio to parents of Polish, Russian, Czechoslovakian and German descent. His family 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 attended Valley Forge High School before joining a local band the Grasshoppers as lead singer and guitarist in 1964. `` Pink Champagne ( and Red Roses ) '' Problems playing this file ? See media help. 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 were also the house band on the Big 5 Show, a musical variety TV show produced by WEWS - TV in Cleveland. The Grasshoppers dissolved in 1966 when two of the band members were drafted into the U.S. Army, after which Orzechowski joined the band Mixed Emotions and later, the Colours. Later Orzechowski was drafted as well, although he received a deferment after approximately a year and a half in the Army. Orr first met Ric Ocasek, the future leader of the Cars, in Cleveland in the 1960s after Ocasek saw Orr performing with the Grasshoppers on the Big 5 Show. 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. After moving to Boston, the two formed a folk band called Milkwood with guitarist James Goodkind. In 1973, the group released one album, How 's the Weather ?, which failed to chart. Remaining in Boston, Ocasek and Orr then formed another band, Richard and the Rabbits, featuring keyboardist Greg Hawkes, followed by another band, Cap'n Swing, which included guitarist Elliot Easton. After the group broke up in 1976, the three of them along with Hawkes and drummer David Robinson formed the Cars. As a member of the Cars, Orr sang lead vocal on some of the band 's best known songs, including their first top 40 hit `` Just What I Needed '', `` Let 's Go, '' and on `` Drive '', their highest - charting U.S. single. Orr released his only solo album, The Lace, in 1986. He co-wrote the music and lyrics with his long - time girlfriend, Diane Grey Page who also sang backing vocals, and the album had one top 40 hit, `` Stay the Night ''. The song was a top 10 album rock hit and the video was in heavy rotation on MTV. A second single `` Too Hot to Stop '' was also released, but did not chart in the Billboard Hot 100 though it reached number # 25 in the rock charts. The album cover for The Lace featured Orr on the front and Page on the back. Orr continued to work with the Cars for one more album, Door to Door, and tour before the group disbanded in 1988, after which he and the other members pursued solo work. Sometime in the mid-1990s, Orr recorded tracks with guitarist John Kalishes for an unreleased follow - up to The Lace. From 1998 until his death in 2000, he performed with his own band ORR and two side bands, `` The Voices of Classic Rock '' with Mickey Thomas and John Cafferty, and `` Big People '', which was a cover band with Pat Travers ( of the Pat Travers Band ), Jeff Carlisi ( of 38 Special ), Derek St. Holmes ( of Ted Nugent ), and Liberty DeVitto ( of Billy Joel ). Illness and death In April 2000, Orr was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was hospitalized, though he continued to perform in concerts with the band Big People through the 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. His final public appearance was on September 27, 2000, in a Big People concert in Anchorage, Alaska. He died at home in Atlanta on October 4, aged 53, surrounded by fellow Big People band members Jeff Carlisi, Derek St. Holmes and Rob Wilson. Manager David Tedeschi was not present but was devastated by the loss of his best friend. Orr was survived by his son Ben. Ric Ocasek wrote and recorded the song `` Silver, '' which was his musical tribute to Orr. It appeared on Ocasek 's 2005 solo album, Nexterday. The Cars reunited ten years after Orr 's death and released their seventh studio album Move Like This in May 2011. Orr was given special thanks in the liner notes : `` Ben, your spirit was with us on this one. '' Orr is buried at St. Patrick 's Cemetery in Thompson, Ohio. Discography Solo albums The Lace ( 1986 ) With the Grasshoppers `` Mod Socks '' b / w `` Twin Beat '' ( 1965 ) `` Pink Champagne ( and Red Roses ) '' b / w `` The Wasp '' ( 1965 ) With Milkwood How 's the Weather ? ( 1973 ) With the Cars The Cars ( 1978 ) Candy - O ( 1979 ) Panorama ( 1980 ) Shake It Up ( 1981 ) Heartbeat City ( 1984 ) Door to Door ( 1987 ) Solo singles Year Title Peak chart positions Album US US Rock US AC CAN 1986 `` Stay the Night '' 24 6 31 The Lace `` Too Hot to Stop '' -- 25 -- -- `` -- '' denotes a recording that did not chart. References Jump up ^ `` The Cars ''. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved 17 December 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Benjamin Orr - Biography & History - AllMusic ''. Jump up ^ Scott, Jane. `` Meet the Men With Green Feet '' The Plain Dealer January 30, 1965 : 34 Jump up ^ Scott, Jane. `` The Cars take off fast in record derby '' The Plain Dealer June 9, 1978 : Friday 28 Jump up ^ Adams, Deanna. Rock ' n ' Roll and the Cleveland Connection ( 2002 ) : 50 -- 52 Jump up ^ Scott, Jane. `` Cars are roaring back ; Blossom is a sell - out '' The Plain Dealer August 7, 1984 : 5 - C Jump up ^ `` The Lace - Benjamin Orr - Credits - AllMusic ''. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel. Rock Tracks ( 2002 ) : 103 Jump up ^ `` MTV Programming '' Billboard December 13, 1986 : 42 Jump up ^ `` Rock musician Benjamin Orr dies ''. Spartanburg Herald - Journal. October 5, 2000. p. B2. Retrieved November 20, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Voices of Classic Rock & Rockforever.com -- Presents BEN ORR ''. March 24, 2008. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008. Retrieved November 21, 2010. Jump up ^ `` MTV reports Benjamin Orr hospitalized ''. Mtv.com. Retrieved 2011 - 07 - 18. Jump up ^ Saidman, Sorelle ( October 4, 2000 ). `` MTV reports Benjamin Orr 's death ''. Mtv.com. Retrieved 2011 - 07 - 18. External links Benjamin Orr biography -- Allmusic Benjamin Orr on IMDb Benjamin Orr : The Legacy hide The Cars Ric Ocasek Elliot Easton Greg Hawkes David Robinson Benjamin Orr Studio albums The Cars Candy - O Panorama Shake It Up Heartbeat City Door to Door Move Like This Compilations Greatest Hits Just What I Needed : The Cars Anthology Shake It Up & Other Hits Complete Greatest Hits The Essentials Classic Tracks The Elektra Years 1978 -- 1987 Singles `` Just What I Needed '' `` My Best Friend 's Girl '' `` Good Times Roll '' `` Let 's Go '' `` It 's All I Can Do '' `` Double Life '' `` Touch and Go '' `` Do n't Tell Me No '' `` Gimme Some Slack '' `` Shake It Up '' `` Since You 're Gone '' `` Victim of Love '' `` Think It Over '' ( UK only ) `` You Might Think '' `` Magic '' `` Drive '' `` Hello Again '' `` Why Ca n't I Have You '' `` Heartbeat City '' ( UK only ) `` Tonight She Comes '' `` I 'm Not the One '' `` You Are the Girl '' `` Strap Me In '' `` Coming Up You '' `` Sad Song '' Other songs `` I 'm in Touch with Your World '' `` Do n't Cha Stop '' `` You 're All I 've Got Tonight '' `` Bye Bye Love '' `` Moving in Stereo '' `` All Mixed Up '' `` Candy - O '' `` Night Spots '' `` Dangerous Type '' `` Panorama '' `` Cruiser '' `` Blue Tip '' Concert tours North American Tour Spring 2011 Related articles Discography Substitution Mass Confusion : A Tribute to The Cars The New Cars Todd Rundgren Kasim Sulton Atom Ellis Prairie Prince It 's Alive ! Utopia BNE : XX1738062 BNF : cb140456472 ( data ) GND : 13447757X ISNI : 0000 0001 1851 397X LCCN : no2005113759 MusicBrainz : 94652393 - 67a7 - 4688 - ad62 - d30111c9ff0c SNAC : w6m764d4 VIAF : 169652119 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benjamin_Orr&oldid=847502840 '' Categories : 1947 births 2000 deaths 20th - century American singers American male guitarists American male singers American new wave musicians American people of Czech descent American people of German descent American people of Polish descent American people of Russian descent American rock bass guitarists American rock singers Burials in Ohio Deaths from cancer in Georgia ( U.S. state ) The Cars members Deaths from pancreatic cancer Musicians from Atlanta Musicians from Cleveland People from Lakewood, Ohio Singers from Ohio Guitarists from Georgia ( U.S. state ) Guitarists from Ohio Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees 20th - century American guitarists Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from December 2014 Articles with hCards Articles with hAudio microformats Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Norsk Polski Português Русский Suomi Svenska 5 more Edit links This page was last edited on 25 June 2018, at 20 : 26 ( UTC ). 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Question: who played bass and sang for the cars
Answer: Benjamin Orzechowski