The Cars' Benjamin Orr Biography Coming This Fall

(Glass Onyon) Rowman & Littlefield have announced that they will publishing a new biography about late The Cars icon Benjamin Orr written by veteran music journalist Joe Milliken on November 15th. We were sent the following details:

Often considered the band's heartthrob, Orr possessed an incredible voice, diverse musical talent and rare stage presence, all balanced by a magnetic, yet enigmatic personality, striking good looks, and a relentless determination to reach rock stardom. Born Benjamin Orzechowski (aka "Benny Eleven Letters") and raised in the Cleveland suburb of Parma Heights, Orr was, prior to becoming a world-famous rock star with The Cars, a "teen star" as a house band musician for the nationally syndicated television show Upbeat.

A few years later Ben met his musical partner and future Cars' bandleader, Ric Ocasek, and by 1976 their quest for the perfect blend of songs, bandmates, and musical landscape finally materialized as The Cars. They would go on to sell over 30 million albums worldwide resulting in 15 "Top 40" hits.

From his early success in Cleveland through his stardom with The Cars, to his solo band efforts and eventual rebirth with the emerging supergroup Big People, this definitive account of Orr's rock-and-roll life is not a backstage 'tell all,' but the story of a charismatic musician with a vision, a sense of adventure, and unwavering perseverance. Orr passed away much too young at 53, but he achieved his dream through hard work and determination, a long road that began in Cleveland and culminated with The Cars coming back to his hometown to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April of 2018.

This first-ever biography about Orr spans 11 years in the making, as Milliken draws together interviews with over 120 family members, friends, bandmates, and music associates from Orr's life, as well as many unpublished and never before seen photos from private collections, to reveal an intimate portrait of one of classic rock's great talents.

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