The final PanCan push and a Benjamin Bonanza of Giveaways!

As we inch closer to the end of 2022 and the holidays are upon us, I’ve decided to do one final push for donations to our PanCan.org fundraiser in honor of Benjamin’s 75th birthday. I’ll be doing a Benjamin Bonanza of Giveways — 10 in all — starting today, November 23, through December 10, when the final winners will be drawn. Prizes consist of anything from stickers to books to t-shirts, and are posted in no particular order.

🚗 Giveaways will be posted on my Facebook and Instagram pages, and that’s where winners will be announced.

🚗 To be eligible, you must make a minimum $10.00 USD donation to pancan.org. using this link: https://secure.pancan.org/site/TR/DIY/DIYTeamraisers?pg=team&fr_id=1081&team_id=37580

🚗 Only donations made after October 15, 2022, will be eligible. If you’ve already donated $10.00 or more in that time period, that counts! Each additional $10.00 donation will get you another entry.

🚗 Let me make that clear: for each $10 you give, you will get another entry into the subsequent drawings.

🚗 Each drawing will be open for about 48 hours. I will do my best to draw and announce winners right at 12:00 P.S.T., but I reserve the right to do it a little later if I can’t get to it. However, the drawings will still close at 12:00 P.S.T. on their scheduled date.

As we know, Benjamin Orr died of pancreatic cancer on October 3, 2000, less than six months after his diagnosis. He was a father, fiancé, friend, rock star. He was only 53 years old. It is in tribute to him that we are raising awareness and funds for PanCan.org, a non-profit organization that strives to improve the lives of everyone impacted by pancreatic cancer by advancing scientific research, advocating for patients, providing patient and caregiver support, and facilitating community outreach programs.

So far we have raised $3,280, which is 43% of our original $7,500 goal. When we have reached $3,750 in donations, I will post 5 VERY gorgeous, never-before-published photos of Benjamin from 1984. They were taken by photographer Julian David Stone, who generously dove into his stash to donate the images for our worthy cause.

If we reach the $5,000 mark by the end of the year (December 31, 2022, before midnight), I will publish footage of Benjamin — well, Benny Eleven Letters! — playing with The Grasshoppers, circa 1965. How exciting is that? (The photo on the left is from that time period but is not from the video. Photo credit unknown.)

While it’s so fun for me to share bits from Ben’s history and to give things away, I don’t want us to entirely lose focus on the reason why we’ve chosen PanCan.org: giving even the smallest bit gets us closer to a cure and helps patients and families cope with a devastating diagnosis. Please consider where you can carve a contribution out of your holiday budget. It is so very appreciated!

Credit card is the preferred method of donation. However, if your only option is by check, you can mail in a donation to pancan.org using this form: http://media.pancan.org/org/pancan_donation_form.pdf If you write “BENJAMIN ORR @ 75 CELEBRATION & PANCAN FUNDRAISER” on the top of the form they will add your donation to our goal.

For international donations from outside of North America, please call PanCan at (310) 725-0025 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST and their Customer Service team will be happy to help you! (If you call after hours or on the weekend, you will need to leave a message and they will return your call on the following business day to assist you.) I am also available if you’d like to send money to me via Western Union and I can donate it here in the States. Email me at onlydjn@yahoo.com to make those arrangements.

Benjamin Orr @ 75 Celebration & PanCan Fundraiser

September 8th, 2022, was Benjamin Orr’s 75th birthday. In an expression of gratitude for his irreplaceable voice & stage presence, a group of fans are choosing to celebrate his life and legacy in a way that Ben might if he was here to do it himself: by raising money for Pancreatic Cancer research and changing the outcome for someone else.

May be an image of 1 person, playing a musical instrument and guitar

This fundraiser started on September 7, 2022, and will continue until the goal of $7,500 is met. There is also a Facebook event that is going on now through Sunday night. There are drawings, giveaways, and fun stuff being posted. It’s not too late to join in! And while you’re enjoying the content, won’t you please consider giving to this impactful cause in memory of Ben?

I was supportive of this cause when I first found out that Ben barely had a fighting chance against this killer, but the devastation hit much closer to home this past spring. My beloved brother-in-law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on April 17 and died on May 26, just 39 days later. He was 62.

Each week we grab a coffee before work, or we order pizza for dinner after a long day. How much is that… $10? $15… $25? May I ask you to forego that treat this one time and donate that money to our fundraiser instead? You’d be contributing to the health and healing of so many others who have to face the reality of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Please follow this direct link to donate online in honor of Benjamin Orr (US and Canada): https://secure.pancan.org/site/TR/DIY/DIYTeamraisers?team_id=37580&pg=team&fr_id=1081

Directing Davey Davis, part 1

west texas video screen shot You might remember an article I wrote about Ben playing at that Riverweed Music Festival in Vermont in 1994, where he and John Kalishes joined Kevin McCarty as the Beacon Hillbillies. Well, one of the people Ben met while he was there was local musician Davey Davis. Sharing a mutual love of the outdoors and fishing, the two became fast friends. After Ben moved to the area, he and Davey spent more time together, and Ben encouraged Davey in his musical pursuits, fooling around with him in the studio and offering advice.

I’ll write more about Ben and Davey in the future, but here’s a fun little peek into the way Ben spent his time in the mid-90s.

One of Davey’s projects was a tune called “West Texas,” written by Eddie Russell. Ben got a real kick out of the song, and was game for creating a video to go with it. Davey had a buddy that was running a little restaurant, called the Seedhouse Café, in the back of the historic 1815 House in Reading, Vermont. The friend suggested they come down to film there in the bar, so Davey, Ben, John Kalishes, and a few other guys headed over and made a night of it.

So check out this video. You can see Ben at the beginning of the footage giving Davey some tips, and positioning the blue pitcher on the bar. Unfortunately, the camera didn’t catch all of the dialogue that took place, but we do get to hear a little smidgen of Ben directing. How cool is that?

Oh, and Davey told me, too, that Ben contributed a little to the lyrics. The original version of the song included the phrase, “smokin’ that dope…” but Ben suggested it be changed to “smokin’ that rope.” Lol

It reminds me of him.

I don’t mind not knowing what I’m headed for

You can take me to the skies

It’s like being lost in heaven when I’m lost in your eyes.

— Debbie Gibson, “Lost In Your Eyes”

It reminds me of him.

sting “…I wanted to play the bass and sing. There’s a special breed of people who can do something that is contra-punk. In other words, you can sing a song and strum a guitar along; it’s kind of easy. Whereas if you play the bass it’s a bit like, um, patting your head and making circles on your tummy. You’re doing something that involves two sides of your brain and not many people develop that skill, and it’s something that I was very proud of… I’ve always enjoyed having that particular skill set… I want to be the bass player who sings.”

— Sting, Upon Reflection

Five years and counting

One of the things I neglected to write about during the craziness of 2021 was the fifth anniversary of this blog. I even made a graphic and everything, but then I got swept away with life again. So let’s go for it now!

May 1, 2021, marked the last time I could say, “I can count on ONE hand the number of years I’ve been writing about Benjamin.” (Not that I said that phrase a lot. Haha) I can hardly believe it. What started as an outlet for my personal obsession has grown beyond my wildest dreams, and has led me through more topsy-turvy adventures than even Bilbo Baggins could boast of.

And really, it’s the people that I’ve met over the years that have elevated this digital scribble pad to something more than just a place for me to gush.

I’ve had the privilege of interviewing family, friends, and musicians who knew Ben and who were willing to meander down memory lane with me.
Others have dug up rare photos, print media, interviews, music and videos for me, some of which had laid dormant for years and years.
Many people have been willing to “network” me, putting me in touch with contacts that have helped to fill in gaps, answer questions, and corroborate details.
Attentive music lovers have generously passed along tips that resulted in stories of cool and cute Ben encounters.
Longtime Cars fans have patiently and repeatedly allowed me to pick their brains for dates and names and obscure tidbits of the band’s history.
Encouragement from prominent musicians, including the surviving members of The Cars, has lent credibility and validity to the blog, and has given me confidence to stay the course.
Faithful readers have become true-blue friends, challenging me to go deeper, holding me accountable to the facts, and supporting me through the highs and lows of regular, everyday life.

I am sincerely grateful for every single one of you! I always get a thrill when I visit my blog dashboard and check the growing stats, evidence of your steadfast interest in Ben and The Cars. I love receiving comments and emails from new readers sharing their love for the band with me and relating the history of their fan experience. This feeling of community is one of the best things I have gained from this project.

The honeymoon isn’t anywhere near over between me and my little blog. I feel such a deep affection for what I’ve created, and I’m proud of the work I’ve done. Reading through past articles gives me satisfaction because each word represents my passion for documenting Ben’s personal and musical legacy.

I flatter myself that there is true historical value to many of the pieces I’ve written. I care about illuminating the backstory, connecting the dots, documenting the details. I revel in the research and the fact-finding (the rabbit hole is my favorite place to be!). I strive to create an accurate record, and if I’m wrong I’ll happily admit it and correct it. It is always more important to me to be accurate than it is to be ‘right.’ I’m not angling to be seen as an expert, I don’t approach the fandom as a competition, and I’m not seeking personal attention.

It’s all about Ben and The Cars for me; it always has been.

And in spite of publishing only 40 articles in 2021 (in contrast to the 160 I wrote in my first year), my devotion to writing about Benjamin and The Cars remains as steadfast as ever. I’ve got a handful of sparkly new things to share with you in the months to come, including endearing photos and personal stories of Ben, never-before-published video footage, and rare audio treasures galore. Let’s check in with the stats, and then we’ll kick off the year with something new down below.

All-time blog stats as of December 31, 2021:

Total posts (including this one): 488

Total views: 375,761

Total visitors: 122,846

Number of countries reached: 157

Total comments: 2,791

Top three “most viewed” posts:

Thank God it’s free! (Rock Goes To College): 4,855 views
In Other Words (Glen Burtnik): 4,780
Behind the Scenes at Viele’s Planet: 4,598

It reminds me of him.

I… I’ve been up all week, not getting any sleep,

trying to read the signs

I don’t know how much more I can take, how much longer I can wait

before I lose my mind

You, for heaven’s sake, you take my breath away

when you’re not even trying

You got me wondering what… what if you were mine?

— Galantis & Throttle, “Tell Me You Love Me”

It reminds me of him.

ben-with-fans “Do you get that a lot? No one ever tries to pick me up.”

“I don’t believe that. To answer your question, it happens occasionally. I’m not often alone when I’m out so I think that limits it to the most brave. They don’t want me, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re attracted to the concept of me, but it’s a fantasy they’ve built. It doesn’t matter if they’re know who I am or not. It’s this.” He waves his hand at his face, then shrugs. “The fame helps. At least she didn’t recognize me. That would be a mess.”

I peer into his glass. “Did you get the ‘massive ego’ IPA?”

“I got the ‘realistic’ lager. My looks are an asset, fully monetized.”

I know he’s right. It’s Sam’s public persona, and the same is what Fong Lee said that first day about her fans. What kind of pressure does that create? To be on a pedestal that you never built, and that is a by-product of doing a job to the best of your abilities?

— Lily Chu, The Stand-In

It reminds me of him.

It surrounds me, ooh, like a sea of madness
It controls me, makes me do all the things I do for you
On my mind babe, thinkin’ about you now
And I don’t know if I’ll make it through the night

I think I’m in love and my life’s lookin’ up
I think I’m in love ’cause I can’t get enough

— Eddie Money, “Think I’m In Love”

Rest in peace, Eddie Money.

It reminds me of him.

“I don’t know what it is you’ve got but it’s plain enough to see

Whatever it is it sure means a lot to me, oh yeah

I try to turn and walk away but it does no good, I’ve got to stay

This feeling that you give won’t let me be, oh no

You’ve really got a hold on me, yeah, yeah

I can’t live without your love…

I don’t know what it is you give but I can’t live without your love”

–Michael Bolotin (aka Michael Bolton), “Without Your Love” performed by Blackjack

The Michael Stanley ~ Benjamin Orr Connection

All of Cleveland was thrown into mourning with the recent death of local icon Michael Stanley. He passed away on March 5, 2021, after a seven-month battle with lung cancer.

As a relentless rocker and a longstanding popular radio DJ, Stanley embodied all the dreams and passions of the people in his beloved hometown. He loved them, and they loved him. Author and music critic Holly Gleason wrote of Michael on variety.com, “He’d been produced by the biggest rock producers of the day in Don Gehman, Mutt Lange and Bill Szymczyk … and toured with the Eagles, REO Speedwagon, Fleetwood Mac. Living the rarest air of rock ‘n’ roll without ever forgetting the folks in Cleveland, he was ours.”

I’m afraid I am not well-versed on Michael’s extensive discography, but I definitely know his name. In fact, I had really hoped to meet him when I was in Cleveland in 2019 with Joe Milliken promoting Let’s Go!, but it didn’t work out. The familiarity for me came through Michael’s connection to Benjamin Orr. Born only 6 months apart, it seems like the two had the potential to be pretty deep friends. They had so much in common: they were both hardworking musicians, native sons of Cleveland; kindhearted, loyal, and generous with their time and talent. It’s no surprise, then, that they collaborated on some very cool projects for their hometown.

The first one that I know of is the Cleveland C.A.R.E. project. Inspired by the groundbreaking record “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” released at the end of 1984, radio executive John Gorman and media personality Denny Sanders (both legends in Cleveland) secured a roster of dozens of all-star Cleveland artists to create their own charity single. In addition to supporting the efforts to wipe out famine in Ethiopia, profits from the project would benefit the local food banks, too. They tapped Michael Stanley to write a song suited to all those voices, booked nearly two weeks of studio time in April of 1985, and hit the record stores in November with “The Eyes Of The Children.” Benjamin shows up in the music video at 0:58, with Michael right after him. This video also has an interview segment featuring Ben starting at 3:33.

From what I understand, sometime between 1987 and 1991, while Michael was co-hosting Cleveland’s evening program PM Magazine (later called Cleveland Tonight), Michael interviewed Ben. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the footage of that will surface for us to enjoy.
Michael and Ben crossed paths again for another Cleveland project some years later. The city’s football team, the Cleveland Browns, went dormant for a few years in the late 90s. When they were ready to get back in the game (literally) in 1998, Michael wrote “Here We Go Again” to celebrate their return, and recruited a pile of big names to perform on the recording and appear in the video for it. In the clip below, the first singer’s face we see is Michael’s, and he’s rocking the stage starting at 2:57. Of course, Ben, who seems to have been a devoted fan, was right there in the thick of it. You can see him in the music video at 2:43, 2:53, and 4:15.

When Benjamin passed away on October 3, 2000, Michael felt the loss. The very next night, during his concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 4, Michael paid tribute to Ben by sharing some fond memories, and then he dedicated a poignant acoustic ballad to him. Thanks to MS fan and historian Dave Wade, we have the honor of seeing this touching moment. You may want to grab a Kleenex.

Only a few short weeks later, on November 10, 2000, Michael would emcee Ben’s memorial celebration at the Hall, opening and closing the service for the family.

I like to think that Ben and Michael formed a solid friendship, bonding over music, the highs and the lows of the business, and over their mutual love and loyalty for Cleveland. I hope, too, that they are now rocking together in heaven.

Cleveland City Council has declared March 25th as Michael Stanley Day on what would have been his 73rd birthday. Sending a hug out to all of my grieving Cleveland friends. ❤

It reminds me of him.

If Ben Orr was a teen television star…

222330c912fe0c7261b914a7fd8722f1 — Edd Byrnes, circa 1959. Image retrieved from Pinterest.

Recently, one of my sweet-talking friends thanked me by saying, “Baby, you’re the ginchiest!” Curious about a phrase I had never heard before, I had to go look it up. I’m so glad I did: According to the Urban Dictionary, ‘ginchiest’ means groovy, happenin’, kick-ass, or rockin’; “the pinnacle of cool.” What a great compliment!

The term was coined by the late Edd Byrnes who played heartthrob Kookie (pronounced ‘coo-key,’ not like cookie) in the 1950s television program, “77 Sunset Strip.” Anybody remember that show? It was on the air from 1958 to 1964, coming to an end about the time that Benjamin was climbing the ladder of local celebrity with The Grasshoppers in Cleveland.

Wikipedia does a great job of illuminating Edd Byrnes’ character:

The ‘breakout’ character, who had not been included in the pilot film, was Gerald Lloyd “Kookie” Kookson III (Edd Byrnes), the rock and roll-loving, wisecracking, hair-combing hipster and aspiring PI who initially worked as the valet parking attendant at Dino’s, the club next door to the detectives’ office. “Kookie” often found a way to get involved in the firm’s cases, and was eventually made a full partner in the firm with his own office.

The Kookie character became a cultural phenomenon, with his slang expressions such as “ginchy” (cool) and “piling up Zs” (sleeping). When Kookie helped the detectives on a case by singing a song, Edd Byrnes began a singing career with the novelty single, “Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb),” based on his frequent combing of his hair… Kookie was also used to provide product placement for Harley-Davidson, appearing on their Topper motor scooter in the show and in Harley-Davidson advertisements.

I had a lot of fun going down this little rabbit hole, searching for information and videos about the show. The more I watched, the more my mind could imagine Ben being such a character. My 15yo son went along for the ride, and he digs Kookie, too! We quote this clip all the time:

“And another cool cat bit the dust.”

Now, is it just me? Or do you think that Benjamin could have played that role to a T?

Check out Edd Byrnes and Connie Stevens performing “Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)” on the Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show hosted by Dick Clark on April 4, 1959:

Swoon! Haha! I’m addicted. “You’re the maximum utmost!” ❤

sweetpurplejune

Category: Because… the Benj

The final PanCan push and a Benjamin Bonanza of Giveaways!

Benjamin Orr @ 75 Celebration & PanCan Fundraiser

Directing Davey Davis, part 1

It reminds me of him.

It reminds me of him.

Five years and counting

It reminds me of him.

It reminds me of him.

It reminds me of him.

It reminds me of him.

The Michael Stanley ~ Benjamin Orr Connection

It reminds me of him.

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