Benny Bendorff
Encyclopedia
Joachim "Benny" Bendorff (born August 1946) is a German bass guitarist, vocalist, trumpeter and composer, best-known for his long tenure as bassist for the James Last Orchestra
.
Born and raised in Hamburg, his mother Lya Bendorff was an opera singer, and his father Siegfried Bendorff was a ballet dancer, teacher and guitarist. He, his parents and his sister Monika Bendorff performed as a family in a cabaret act. Young Benny also became an accomplished trumpet player, performing as a soloist with the NDR
(Norddeutscher Rundfunk, or North German Radio) orchestra at the age of 12. In his teens, Benny became more interested in the burgeoning rock scene, especially the English musicians who performed in Hamburg's Reeperbahn district. He took up the guitar and played in an instrumental band influenced by The Shadows
, eventually switching to bass guitar and coming under the spell of The Beatles
. He worked regularly in the Hamburg club scene and was also active as a studio musician.
In 1969, Bendorff was hired to play session with the James Last Orchestra
. The session was for Last's version of the rock musical Hair
, and Last (an accomplished acoustic and electric bass player himself) was looking for a rock-oriented bassist strictly for the one session. As it turned out, Bendorff impressed Last so much that he was hired to replace the previous bassist Fiete Wacker and promptly came on board in time for a tour of Canada
. Bendorff remained as bassist for the next 33 years. He co-wrote many songs with James Last
and drummer/percussionist Barry Roy Reeves, who was also a Last band member. One of the Last/Bendorff/Reeeves compositions, Manja, was released as a Bendorff solo single in 1971. Bendorff was often featured as a vocal soloist for both recordings and concerts by Last, usually singing Paul McCartney
songs like "Live And Let Die", "Mull Of Kintyre" and "Silly Love Songs". Bendorff's love of The Beatles
was further evident in his 1985 solo album Flowers Of Liverpool. He cites Paul McCartney
and Jet Harris
of The Shadows
as the main influences on his bass playing. He also composed original instrumental music with his sons Christoph Leis-Bendorff and Florian Leis-Bendorff, most of which was sold to television stations for background music.
From the 1990s onward, Bendorff has been increasingly involved in country-oriented music, playing in the Hamburg country band Third Coast. He retired from the James Last Orchestra
in 2002. His son Florian Leis-Bendorff, a guitarist with the Austrian band Zillertaler Schürzenjäger, committed suicide in 2005.
James Last Orchestra
The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...
.
Born and raised in Hamburg, his mother Lya Bendorff was an opera singer, and his father Siegfried Bendorff was a ballet dancer, teacher and guitarist. He, his parents and his sister Monika Bendorff performed as a family in a cabaret act. Young Benny also became an accomplished trumpet player, performing as a soloist with the NDR
NDR
NDR may refer to:* Numalian Democratic Republic a Micronation within the borders of Malaysia.* Nador International Airport — IATA code Morocan airport* National Derby Rallies...
(Norddeutscher Rundfunk, or North German Radio) orchestra at the age of 12. In his teens, Benny became more interested in the burgeoning rock scene, especially the English musicians who performed in Hamburg's Reeperbahn district. He took up the guitar and played in an instrumental band influenced by The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
, eventually switching to bass guitar and coming under the spell of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. He worked regularly in the Hamburg club scene and was also active as a studio musician.
In 1969, Bendorff was hired to play session with the James Last Orchestra
James Last Orchestra
The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...
. The session was for Last's version of the rock musical Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
, and Last (an accomplished acoustic and electric bass player himself) was looking for a rock-oriented bassist strictly for the one session. As it turned out, Bendorff impressed Last so much that he was hired to replace the previous bassist Fiete Wacker and promptly came on board in time for a tour of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Bendorff remained as bassist for the next 33 years. He co-wrote many songs with James Last
James Last
James Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
and drummer/percussionist Barry Roy Reeves, who was also a Last band member. One of the Last/Bendorff/Reeeves compositions, Manja, was released as a Bendorff solo single in 1971. Bendorff was often featured as a vocal soloist for both recordings and concerts by Last, usually singing Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
songs like "Live And Let Die", "Mull Of Kintyre" and "Silly Love Songs". Bendorff's love of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
was further evident in his 1985 solo album Flowers Of Liverpool. He cites Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Jet Harris
Jet Harris
Jet Harris, MBE was an English musician. He was the bass guitarist of The Shadows until April 1962, and had subsequent success as a soloist and as a duo with the drummer Tony Meehan....
of The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
as the main influences on his bass playing. He also composed original instrumental music with his sons Christoph Leis-Bendorff and Florian Leis-Bendorff, most of which was sold to television stations for background music.
From the 1990s onward, Bendorff has been increasingly involved in country-oriented music, playing in the Hamburg country band Third Coast. He retired from the James Last Orchestra
James Last Orchestra
The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...
in 2002. His son Florian Leis-Bendorff, a guitarist with the Austrian band Zillertaler Schürzenjäger, committed suicide in 2005.