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Photo Courtesy Orr
Online
May 11, 2001 - A tribute from the Find A Grave website in Adobe Acrobat Format (57 k) - Macabre, but an interesting picture of Ben.
January 20, 2001 - The Derick St. Holmes website (link was unavailable late 2003) has added "Reflections on my friend, Ben Orr."
The first time I spoke to Ben Orr was when I phoned him in Vermont to discuss with him Big People. I dialed the phone, it rang, he answered and I said, "Hi, Ben? This is Derek St. Holmes, the singer from Ted Nugent." He started laughing and laughing. I said, "What's the matter?" He said, "I can't believe the singer from Ted Nugent is calling me!" I don't know if that was a compliment or not, but I took it to be and then I told him that Jeff Carlissi and I were putting together a band with a few other guys to play some old favorites, have some fun and we wanted to know if he was interested. He quickly answered, "Yep, I'm there, partner." He always called me "Partner." And that was that. It was like we had always been best friends. Each time we talked, we talked for hours and I will always remember the slight smile and shift of his eyes as he told a story. He loved my kids and treated everyone he met with respect. My kids loved him.
The last time Ben and I talked was the day before he passed away. I had been to visit him at home and we talked just small chit-chat. It took most of his energy to talk but he was very happy for me to visit. When I felt he was most tired, I shook his toe as he was lying in his bed and I told him I would be back to see him tomorrow. He smiled that little shifty smile and said, "Woof!" Always with a sense of humor, always with a kind affection, Ben Orr will always be one of my heroes.
The next day, I visited Ben again and although he could not speak to me, I knew he knew I was there. Shortly before he was gone, all his band-mates and loved ones gathered around his bed, and a tear ran down his cheek as to say, "I know you all love me and I love you all as well." Ben you are loved by millions.
Derek St. Holmes
January 11, 2001 - A friend of Ben's has passed several candid pictures of him to me so I can share them with his fans. I combined them with some other pictures I had - click here to take a look.
January 10, 2001 - Through a Frozen Fire mail list member, Julie Snider (Ben's Soulmate) passed along the following thoughts:
"Dear Friends, Your outpouring of love and kindness during Ben's career, during his illness and after his passing has been deeply appreciated. Even though I don't correspond with you, we were and I am 'listening' and feel your love and respect for Ben. You have all helped to carry us both then, and, me now during these very difficult times. Thank you all for that.
Wishing you much love, happiness and success during the holidays and for the New Year. Love Life. Love your Family. Peace, Julie Snider"
January 5, 2001 - If you missed out on the Ben Orr obituaries in Entertainment Weekly and US Weekly and still want to get them, the info to order copies is found below.
Entertainment Weekly
Dated October 20, 2000
With Blair Witch II on the cover
Send $4 and issue date to:
Entertainment Weekly Magazine
Single Copy
P.O. Box 60001
Tampa, FL 33660-0001
or call 1-800-274-6800 or 1-813-979-6828 or fax 1-813-979-6685US Weekly
Issue 297
Dated October 23, 2000
With Richard Gere on the cover
Send $8 and issue number to:
US Weekly ISI
P.O. Box 454
East Rutherford, NJ 07073-0454
or call 1-800-544-6748
December 23, 2000 - A Frozen Fire mail list member has offered the following review of the Ben Orr Benefit at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco: "it was fun. Jonathon Richmond gave a 5 minute remembrance of Ben and how he met him in Boston in the 70s and how impressed he was the first time he saw the Cars. I didn't get a sense that JR really was an extremely close friend of Ben's, so it was less emotional and more nostalgic. Then they played the Rhino live video, with the music cranked and on a huge screen in this small club. It was almost like they were actually on stage, and was awesome. Finally, a cover band "Double Life" played about an hour of Cars' tunes--loud and rough, but passionate and rocking nonetheless."
December 8, 2000 - A Frozen Fire mail list member has informed me that there will be a Ben Orr Benefit at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco on Sunday, December 17 at 5:30 pm. Bottom of the Hill is at 1233 17th St @ Missouri, San Francisco and admission costs $7 which will benefit Pancreatic Cancer research. There will be Cars Karaoke, a special screening of "CARS LIVE," Double Life (Cars cover band) performs, with special speaker Jonathan Richman and an all you can eat BBQ at 4:00PM. If you plan to go, contact Bottom of the Hill or call (415) 621-4455 for the latest info.
November 17, 2000 - Rolling Stone article about the Ben Orr memorial at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (86k copy here in in PDF format).
November 17, 2000 - Rolling Stone offers an obituary for Ben (99k copy here in in PDF format).
November 13, 2000 - ABOUT.COM offers an obituary (75k copy here in in PDF format).
November 13, 2000 - CD Now offers an obituary and remembrances (66k copy here in PDF format).
November 10, 2000 - Cleveland Live offers their obituary and remembrances (71k copy here in PDF format).
November 7, 2000 - The press release for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ben Orr Memorial (8k copy here in PDF format).
November 4, 2000 - A special memorial for Ben Orr will be held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH Friday 11/10. The event will be in the 4th floor theater (holds about 160 people). A screen in the Atrium will broadcast the event to the overflow crowd. There will be a few people speaking, along with an 6-7 minute picture presentation with music. The event is free and runs from 7:00pm to 8:30pm with performers "to be announced." Joe Dlearo (tour manger for Big People is acting production manager for the memorial.
The Hampton Inn on 9th Street (three blocks to the Hall of Fame) has a $79 special that night (ask for the Hit the Road promotion). Hampton Inn Cleveland-Downtown 1460 East Ninth Street Cleveland, OH 44114 US Ph: 216-241-6600. Thanks Alan Fields on the Frozen Fire mail list for the info.
October 15, 2000 - The Boston Phoenix offers their obituary for Ben (59k copy here in PDF format).
October 12, 2000 - Bill Jennings has passed along some pics to me from the Big People Tribute show in Atlanta, GA at the Tabernacle. Here is a promo pic of Big People, the entire group on stage, Jeff Carlisi, Derek St. Holmes and Liberty De Vitto.
October 11, 2000 - Rockforever.com offers their tribute to Ben (239k copy here in PDF format). Rockforever.com also provided an obituary which includes info for his management company and where to send condolences. (97k copy here in PDF format). Rockforever.com also provided an excellent remembrance by John Cafferty (of the Beaver Brown Band fame) (298k copy here in PDF format)
October 10, 2000 - Derick St. Holmes put together an excellent shockwave tribute to Ben Orr on his site. Check out the DOWNLOADS page to view it.
October 9, 2000 - E Online offers their obituary for Ben (68k copy here in PDF format)
October 8, 2000 - NME.COM offers their obituary for Ben (95k copy here in PDF format)
October 8, 2000 (updated 10/21/00) - A Frozen Fire mail list member has created a number of Ben Orr Wallpaper tributes. Check out the DOWNLOADS page to view or download them.
October 6, 2000 - New York Times offers their obituary for Ben (25k copy here in PDF format)
October 6, 2000 - Atlanta Journal Constitution offers their obituary for Ben (46k copy here in PDF format)
October 5, 2000 - Billboard offers their obituary for Ben (69k copy here in PDF format).
October 5, 2000 - VH1 offers their obituary for Ben with an address to send condolences and flowers (66k copy here in PDF format).
October 5, 2000 - The Infobeat service announces that Ben Orr has passed away (26k copy here in PDF format).
October 5, 2000 - CNN & the Associated Press provide an obituary for Ben Orr (80k copy here in PDF format)
October 5, 2000 - The Boston Herald has a front page article about Ben's passing (28k copy here in PDF format).
October 4, 2000 - MTV News announces Ben's Passing (63k copy here in PDF format).
October 4, 2000 - Benjamin Orr, singer and bassist with new wave hitmakers the Cars, succumbed to cancer at his home in Atlanta on Tuesday night. He was 53.
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 "The Cars' Benjamin Orr Hospitalized").
According to former Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes, Orr was surrounded by his friends when he passed away just before midnight (ET).
Orr co-founded the Cars with Ric Ocasek in Boston in 1976 and sang lead on many of the band's most recognizable songs, including "Drive" and "Just What I Needed." The Cars disbanded in 1988. Orr also released a solo album in 1986 called "The Lace."
The singer had been playing with his new band, Big People, right up until late September, including a final show in Alaska on September 27. His Big People bandmates, Jeff Carlisi (formerly of .38 Special), Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent), and Rob Wilson, along with Orr's manager, Billy Johnson, and Orr's fiancee, Julie Snider, were with him in Atlanta when he died.
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. According to Orr's manager, another event is being planned to take place in Orr's hometown of Cleveland.
-- Sorelle Saidman
October 4, 2000 - Per a Frozen Fire mail list member: "in Cleveland has confirmed with their sister station in Atlanta that indeed Ben has passed. WCNX just played a half hour on air tribute to Ben by playing the songs that made him famous.
October 4, 2000 - Per an e-mail from Greg Hawkes to a Frozen Fire mail list Member: "I wanted to let you know that Ben Orr died last night <<10/3/00>> just before midnite. He was at home in Atlanta and with friends."
August 7, 2000 - Royce Maaske (a Frozen Fire mail list member) has made available many pictures of Ben and Big People. The Big People pictures are from the July 26 show in West Bend, WI. Just go to http://photos.yahoo.com/frozen_fire_99 and you can view the pictures.
July 27, 2000 - A Frozen Fire mail list member went to the July 26 Washington County Fair Big People show in West Bend, Wisconsin. According to the list member Ben sounded great, but looked like very thin and ill. For the full concert review and more detailed info, please click here.
July 20, 2000 - From a concerned Ben fan: "I saw Ben at Big People performances on July 3 & 4 in IL -- he did not look good. I had seen him in early May at a 'voices of classic rock' performance in Orlando and was surprised that he looked so pale - in IL (only 2 months later), he had lost <a lot of weight>. I have been a cars fan since '78 and I didn't recognize him when he walked 2 feet from me! I spoke to him and his sig<nificant> other, Julie, several times over those 2 days. 7/3 he said he'd felt better than he had in a while; the next night, however, he said he didn't feel good and had been <quite ill>. He was skipping the whole week of chemo to do the shows." Additional info from same person on August 10: "Ben looked happier playing than I had ever experienced him looking in the Cars days. He looked content and continually scanned the crowd, making eye contact and smiling at people. He and his <Big People> bandmates really seem to enjoy one another. He also has not lost a touch of his voice. It is still as richly controlled and beautiful as ever."
July 16, 2000 - A Frozen
Fire mail list member mentioned that someone she knows saw Ben on July 3, 2000 and
that he was not looking well. It is unknown if this was just a bad day or the
continuation of his illness.
June 21, 2000 - The following is the official statement from Rhonda St. Holmes of the
Big People & Derrick St. Holmes' Fan Clubs: "Ben is recuperating and regaining his strength while
Big People prepare for their upcoming dates. A few BP dates were cancelled during last month, however,
I am happy to say it looks as though the remaining dates will go as planned and Ben also plans to join his fellow members.
Big People are anxious and excited to get back on stage and we hope fans will enjoy the shows!
Thanks for your support through this time and I know that your heartfelt efforts are greatly
appreciated."
June 15, 2000 - A Frozen Fire mail list member
got a call from Bill Louis (WNCX program
director) who stated that Pat Travers confirmed (off the air) that Ben has
Pancreatic Cancer. Ben wishes to not tell everyone
the full story on the air in an effort to remain upbeat. He begins chemotherapy treatments shortly.
June 14, 2000 - Pat Travers was on WCNX
talking about his relationship with Ben and an upcoming solo date at a local venue. Per this interview, Ben is fine,
is out of the hospital and has already played a show with
Big People. Ben plans to continue playing with Big People all summer.
June 11, 2000 - Some Big People shows have been cancelled, but nothing new otherwise.
June 4, 2000 - Members of the Frozen
Fire mail list collected their thoughts and well wishes for Ben Orr and
mailed them off. View the
document in Microsoft Word format (48 k).
June 2, 2000
WCNX web site: 98.5
WNCX is happy to announce that
former Cars' bassist Benjamin Orr is scheduled to be released from the hospital this week. Mail
your card or letter to the following address:
May 30, 2000 - Milwaukee Sentinel Journal: "Bassist Benjamin Orr of the band
Big People has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, forcing the group to cancel its performance at RiverSplash! Saturday."
May 23, 2000: The singer and bassist of The Cars has been hospitalized and will be going in for exploratory surgery on his pancreas.
