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Benny Mardones

US American pop singer and songwriter. Born November 9,1946 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA. Died June 29, 2020, Menifee, Riverside County, California, USA Burried Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, USA Born Ruben Armand Mardones, he was raised in Maryland and during his youth, his interest in music was sparked when he saw Elvis Presley perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Following service with the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, he landed a job as a staff songwriter with CBS Publishing where he was partnered with Alan Miles. The two penned the single "Too Heavy to Carry" for Brenda Lee which appeared on her 1970 album "Memphis Portrait." During the 1970s, he formed the band "Justice" and launched his solo career with his debut album "Thank God for Girls" (1978). His follow up album "Never Run, Never Hide" (1980) contained the single "Into the Night" which reached number 11 on the American Pop Chart. Touted by Variety as "hyperkinetic" and always on the make, Benny Mardones was nicknamed "The Voice" due to his near four-octave vocal range and soulful, passionate delivery. Mardones’ favorite song to perform was his hit “Into The Night,” the song he co-wrote which remains one of the top 25 most played singles in the history of radio, gracing the airwaves over 10,000,000 times. It is also one of the only songs to have ever charted three separate versions of the song as a single by the same artist. Mardones, enjoyed an extremely successful twenty-five years as a songwriter and showman. He shared the stage with Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones, and played alongside legends such as the Otis Redding band. In a Showtime tribute to rock icon Roy Orbison, Benny performed with the likes of Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, and Johnny Cash. Mardones' ability to compose music that transcended generational gaps and typical pop-rock-r&b genre pigeonholes had much to do with his achingly honest lyrics and soulful delivery. As Rolling Stone quipped, his "gloriously adolescent romanticism" appeals to all regardless of age or musical background. Pursuing a rigorous touring schedule over the years, despite his diagnosis with Parkinson's, Benny gathered his strength from his passion for performing and his adoring fans. He noted that, "There are days where I wonder if I am going to be able to use these vocal chords...if my legs are going to hold me up. But at this point in my life, my fans are almost family -- they support me and they help keep me going. As long as they want to hear me sing, as long as they want to come to the shows, I will pour every last drop of myself into performing." Benny’s first album of all original music since 1999 was entitled, “Let's Hear it For Love” — a torrent of fiery arena rock splashed tunes with catchy hooks and melodic twists, produced and co-written by Warrior Records’ president, Jim Ervin. The release was dedicated to Mardones’ long-time road manager and dear friend, Tommy Piraino, who passed away during the recording from leukemia. The song, "Just for you my friend," which features a short appearance from Tommy's son, was penned as Benny grieved. ”There are a number of extremely personal tracks on the album that I almost considered not including,” said Mardones. “But, I realized that one of the reasons my friends and fans have been so supportive of me over the years, is that I refuse to hold back. You come to my shows or listen to my albums you get 100% uncensored me." Benny died peacefully at his home in Menifee, CA on June 29, 2020 with his loving wife at his side. He passed away from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He leaves behind his only son who now has a child of his own.