Talk:Benjamin Orr

Untitled
Although Benjamin Orr was born in Lakewood, OH, I have heard he attended high school at Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights, OH, and this is the school from which he dropped out. Anyone know any facts about this? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.43.171.240 (talk) 00:47, 21 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes....He dropped out of Valley Forge HS...He dropped out to pursue his musical career. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.102.190.22 (talk) 17:28, 22 April 2011 (UTC)

\ added by delizade sadly I have heard that he died in 2000....i grow up with these songs.....thankyou Orr for your beauteful songs and your sweet sing skill that can elevate our souls with it's soft power. [Burak Özdelice(delizade.com) from Turkiye/Istanbul] — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.214.75.195 (talk) 10:24, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Mr Orr only had four managers through his career: Joe Mayer, Fred Lewis, Elliot Roberts and David Tedeschi.Those who claim otherwise such as Rob Delerio and Jean Renard is NOT true. If anyone makes a claim to any fan ask them to produce any legal doccumentation to back up their claim.

Immigrant Parents
As author Joe Millikan indicates in his book, "Let's Go! Benjamin Orr and the Cars", Ben was born to immigrant parents that were not born in a village in present day Poland. From genealogical records his mother was Carpatho-Rusyn and baptized Alžbeta Benová in the Greek Catholic church in present day Kojšov, Slovakia.

His father, Charles, was born in Kiev Oblast. His grandfather, Jakub, lists what appears to be present day Tetiiv, Kiev, Ukraine (then Russia) as his birth village on his 1917 US naturalization declaration of intention

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMP-SC1J

and then again on the 1922 US naturalization petition.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMP-SZMK

Czech, Russian?
To answer the question Mr Orr again is Slavic. His birthplace, Lakewood, Ohio lists its ethnic composition as 5.8% Polish, .7% Russian and .7% Czech. Nothing will dissuade you from removing him from the Russian category, not even the facts. This does not help your credibility. Before you came along I only read Ben Orr was of Polish descent. ```` Orzechowski is an anbsolutely Polish surname, not Russian or Czech. "Ski" is a typical Polish surnames ending. Ask other Polish Wikipedians. Maybe Orr have Polish desant who was living in Russia, that is possible. Many of Poles was living in the Russian Empire. See History of Poland. Kowalmistrz 18:24, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

I agree with the statement above, Orzechowski is Only a Polish name (look on the Ellis Island website for confirmation). There were Orzechowski(s) from Russian partitioned Poland who were ethnic Poles. Jews, who lived in the former Polish Commonwealth, adopted this surname. Was Ben Orr Jewish?NO HE WASN't Jewish! If not, with the Orzechowski name and being born in an area with a large Polish ethnic population, he most definetly has some Polish blood. The name Ben is popular amongst the English, Jewish, and Polish ethnic groups in North America. With the Poles Benjamin is a good substitute for Bronislaw. Was Orzechowski's Dad Roman Catholic? YES HE WAS...If so that would rule out Russian ancestry. Ski is a Polish ending. Until you have confirmation of his Russian ancestory, please remove him from the Russian-American category. Just because Poles were forcibly ruled by Russia for 123 years, they did not consider themselves to be Russian.

Id get a hold of the young lady (Dawn-Marie Reigh) at dawnmariereigh@gmail.com She was in a relationship with Benjamin Orrs former manager David Tedeschi who passed in December 2013 unexppectedly. She has the most extensive knowledge of Orr's musical career https://www.facebook.com/groups/benjaminorr, Currently there is a compilation being compiled by Dawn-Marie for the fans, family and friends as well as collegues of Benjamins to contribute. Benjamin, went to school in Parma Heighs at Valley forge. Orr is Slavic NOT Polish. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.164.99.82 (talk) 03:13, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

The name Orzechowski is classically Polish. The "rz" for the "zh" sound, the "ch" for the "h" sound, "w" for the "v/f" sound and "ski" ending are all typically Polish and not in common with Russian. A Russified version of this name, which would indicate a Polish family living in Russia, would be spelled "Ozhehovsky". It's bizarre that this is even up for discussion.

Agreed with the person above. Orzechowski is a relatively common Polish name. A Russified version would be spelled Ozhekhovskiy or something like that; only Polish uses "rz" for the "zh" sound. The Czech version of this last name would be Ořechov.--208.90.214.221 (talk) 01:02, 18 September 2011 (UTC)

performance disaster in ....
I'm strongly thinking of making a section called performance disaster in... "Will find out where". I have to recheck my information about where it takes place, but sometime in 1978 the cars were at a concert in i believe germany and they were performing bye bye love and people in the crowd were disasterously throwing stuff at the band duriong there performance. When i was watching it on youtube and something hit benjamin orrs guitar right before he whispered either "im going to get you or" im looking at you". just look for yourself..... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.253.96.52 (talk) 22:17, 8 September 2010 (UTC)

The performance you're referring to was in the UK. To see the incident you described, look for the YouTube video of "Bye Bye Love" performed for Rock Goes to College. Commenters to the video said that the band talked about this concert later. Ironically, the Cars' RGTC YouTube clips are outstanding--the band really showed their professionalism despite the audience's misbehavior. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tnslvr (talk • contribs) 06:06, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

Number One on MTV and VH1? What does that mean?
I just added a citeneeded to the statement that "Stay The Night" reached "number one" on both MTV and VH1. That is impressive, but it needs a citation. I'm not even aware that those cable-TV channels even have a Top Forty, or Top Ten, or whatever it is. How does a cable channel pick a number one, when they don't ever get requests? I was a pretty big watcher of MTV in the glory days of the 80s, and I don't remember them having a Top Whatever list. And did VH1 even exist when this song came out? Anyway, if I don't know this, then a lot of people don't know it, so a citation is definitely needed. --Ben Culture (talk) 05:13, 30 May 2012 (UTC)
 * MTV had a weekly Top 20 Countdown program at the time but I don't how the number one video could be documented. Billboard verifies that it was in heavy rotation on MTV but that's all. Piriczki (talk) 13:20, 30 May 2012 (UTC)

Death from pancreatic cancer - did Orr smoke?
Orr died from pancreatic cancer. About 25% of cases of pancreatic cancer can be traced to smoking (it is the biggest risk factor). Did Orr smoke? Thanks in advance to anybody who knows.Betathetapi545 (talk) 21:50, 5 November 2021 (UTC)


 * I've seen several picture on You Tube where Orr is holding a cigarette in hand. Yes, he smoked. 2600:8803:AE03:4B00:899:4F78:382E:3022 (talk) 07:03, 13 February 2023 (UTC)

Guitar
While keyboards are secondary instrument. Guitar was an instrument that Benjamin Orr played before he switched to bass before joining the Cars and he played guitar instead of bass in his solo career after The Cars disbanded in 1988. GTAGamer245 (talk) 16:57, 17 June 2023 (UTC)


 * Regardless, he's best known as a Bass player, the guitar should be brought up in prose. - FlightTime  ( open channel ) 16:59, 17 June 2023 (UTC)
 * I don't even know what "prose" means. I thought we bring this up in the talk pag. GTAGamer245 (talk) 18:29, 17 June 2023 (UTC)
 * Prose = The article body. - FlightTime  ( open channel )  — Preceding undated comment added 19:05, 17 June 2023 (UTC)