Oscar Benton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oscar Benton
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Ferdinand van Eis |
| Born | 3 February 1949 Haarlem, Netherlands |
| Died | 8 November 2020 (aged 71) IJmuiden, Netherlands |
| Genres | Blues, pop |
| Years active | 1960s–1980s |
| Labels | Decca, Philips, DGG Records, Pathé Records |
Oscar Benton (born Ferdinand van Eis; 3 February 1949 – 8 November 2020) was a Dutch singer. He was also the person who started the Oscar Benton Blues Band in 1967. The band became well-known in 1968. They were the runner-up at the Jazz Festival in Loosdrecht, Netherlands.
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About Oscar Benton
Oscar Benton was born on 3 February 1949 in Haarlem, a city in the Netherlands. He loved music from a young age. He studied how to play the mandolin and the violin at a special music school called a conservatory.
Oscar Benton passed away on 8 November 2020, in IJmuiden, another Dutch city. He was 71 years old.
His Music Career
The Oscar Benton Blues Band
In 1968, Oscar Benton and his band, the Oscar Benton Blues Band, released their first album. It was called Feel so good. They released more albums, including The Blues Is Gonna Wreck My Life in 1969 and Benton ‘71 in 1971.
Working with Monica
During the 1970s, Oscar Benton teamed up with a Dutch singer named Monica Verschoor. They released two popular songs together as "Monica and Oscar Benton."
Blue Eyed Baby Band
In 1974, the band changed its members and its name. They became Blue Eyed Baby. Oscar Benton also decided to use a different stage name for himself, calling himself Billy Boy Bishop. The "Blue Eyed Baby" band released their own album, also called Blue Eyed Baby.
Solo Music and Famous Songs
Oscar Benton released his own album in 1981. It featured his most famous song, "Bensonhurst Blues." This song was written by Artie Kaplan and Artie Kornfeld.
"Bensonhurst Blues" became very popular. It was even used in the soundtrack of two movies:
- Pour la peau d'un flic (1979)
- La Bûche (1999)
Many other singers from different countries also sang their own versions of "Bensonhurst Blues." For example, an Italian singer named Adriano Celentano sang it in Italian. A Romanian singer, Margareta Pâslaru, sang it in Romanian. The song was also used as the main music for a TV show called Crazy Horse in the early 2000s.
In 2011, Oscar Benton released a new CD album titled "Oscar Benton is Still Alive." Later, starting in 2016, he worked with guitarist Johnny Laporte to record another album. This album, called "I Am Back", was released in 2018.
Oscar Benton's Albums and Singles
Albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Bensonhurst Blues | Pathé Records |
| 1983 | My Kind Of Blues | Polydor |
| 1984 | If You Go Away | Folegandros |
| 1994 | Best Part Of My Life | SilenZ Records |
| 2018 | I Am Back |
Singles and EPs
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Everybody Is Telling Me | Imperial |
| 1972 | All I Ever Need Is You | Imperial |
| 1973 | Bensonhurst Blues | Pathé |
| 1974 | My Children, My Wife | [EMI distribution] |
| 1981 | Bensonhurst Blues | EMI |
| 1982 | I Believe In Love | Bleu Blanc Rouge, Carrere |
| 1983 | Not The Same Dreams Anymore | Biram |
| 1983 | Not The Same Dreams Anymore | Bleu Blanc Rouge |
| 1983 | Woolly Boolly Boogie | EMI |
| 1984 | If You Go Away (Ne Me Quite Pas) | Bleu Blanc Rouge |
| 1986 | Ooh What A Night! | Biram |
| 1996 | Ze Is Zoals Jij | Columbia |
See also
In Spanish: Oscar Benton para niños
