So while the Cars didn't reform at that time, a version of the band did. In his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he thanked his wheel-chaired grandmother for forcing him to sing at age 5 and for buying him the guitar from Sears and Roebuck, although he said she gave him the guitar when he was 14 years old. His cause of death was now released. Ocasek and Orr continued working together in a series of bands, leading up to the Cars' public debut on New Year's Eve in 1977. a half years in the Army. The group even embarked on one last tour in the summer of 2011, performing in 11 theaters and capping it off with a spot at Lollapalooza. Though the net worth of Benjamin Orr was around $1 million, his annual income is still unknown. I dyed my hair blond in the front, went to Ocean City, and lived that whole thing. 8, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. 8, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. Ric Ocasek Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com "This band means so much to me and millions of others." "Magic" and "Let's Go" made the Top 20. Vocalist. Also, his own song, 'Stay The Night', was featured in the Top 10 Rock Hit chart. It feels quite strange to be up here without him. Rock Musician Benjamin Orr Dies | AP News Normally, I wouldn't feel comfortable to post personal things about his family but this is in the news. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. "I met the Cars and told them, 'The band's in the medicine chest, and then on a bar of soap, and Ric's a fly,' and one of them said, 'Why don't we all just play on a turd in the toilet bowl?' Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. The lineup was completed by guitarist Elliot Easton, who had also played with Orr and Ocasek in the Boston-based Cap'n Swing. Otherwise, the two paid the bills with day jobs in clothing stores while recording demos in a Boston studio which they paid for in trade, doing carpentry for the owner. "I needed an attractive, exotic woman who has something fierce about her," Hutton said in I Want My MTV. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. A management spokesperson for Ocasek spoke on behalf of the singer-guitarist, telling MTV News, "He's very devastated by the loss of a close friend. His Russian and Czechoslovakian parents Benjamin sang the most popular songs of the band, such as 'Just What I Needed', 'Drive' and 'Let's Go', and among these, the first one was their first hit song and went up to the Top 40.Benjamin died on October 3, 2000, as he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was hospitalized. He played bass, keyboards, and percussion Benjamin Orr, 53, Rock Musician Who Was a Founder of the Cars Here's a look under the hood of the Cars. Benjamin Orr, 53, the bass player of the popular 1980s group The Cars who also sang some of the band's most popular songs, died of pancreatic cancer at his home here Oct. 3. The Lace Orr introduced himself to singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek at a band rehearsal. The Rock Hall was an appropriate locale for the tribute, as Orr, who was fifty-three when he passed away, started his musical career in Cleveland in the mid-Sixties, when he played with the Grasshoppers. Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky. But just because they're short and sweet doesn't mean they don't take a long time to make. Benjamin Orr (Orzechowski), musician, born August 9 1947; died October 3 2000, Rock musician who found fame with The Cars, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Herbert Orr was born in 1865. Ocasek asked him to join his band and Orr became their keyboardist. "It was easy to remember and it wasn't pegged to a specific decade or sound," Robinson said. Fortunately, they worked out their differences while taping material for a Cars DVD in the late '90s. on a new DVD documentary, "The Cars Live," scheduled for release through Rhino Home Video on November 1. The group will now turn a planned March of Dimes benefit concert scheduled for this Friday at the Tabernacle in Atlanta into a memorial performance. He was only 53 years old. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The Cars were a band, but to the public, the Cars and Ric Ocasek were one and the same, probably because of his striking look or because he sang most of the bands' songs. dropped out of Valley Forge High School to join the group, "The Charlotte Rae 16 /16 In 1970, Orr moved to Columbus, Ohio and met By the time 1977 was over, the Cars had signed a record deal and hit the road to build both hype and a fanbase. By joining Kidadl you agree to Kidadls Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications from Kidadl. Orr died of pancreatic cancer at age 53 in 2000. We are standing on the shoulders of giants," said Brandon Flowers of the Killers (who was a big fan) in his induction speech. Stein was inspired by a National Enquirer ad campaign that "had animated cutouts and photographs of celebrities, big heads on bodies that moved a little," he said in I Want My MTV. Benjamin Orr had his last public appearance in Alaska at the 'Big People Concert' on September 27, 2000. As previously reported by MTV News, Orr, born Benjamin Orzechowski on September 8, 1947, had been hospitalized last May with what turned out to be inoperable pancreatic cancer (see [article id="1426984"]"The Cars' Benjamin Orr Hospitalized"[/article]). Orr will be cremated this week after a private service in Atlanta.