
The Benders
Artist Information
Drummer and vocalist Byron Brewer first fronted “The Benders” on Oct. 28, 1985. Coincidently, that was also the time of his most recent haircut. As the leader of “The Benders” Byron often claims that his hair is more popular than he is.
Joining Byron in the trio, which produces melodious 50s and 60s show tunes, are guitarist / vocalist Johnny Cruz fresh from a 4 year vacation, and Bassist Larry “Campy” Campanello.
Guitarist Cruz is a Law enforcement officer when not rocking and after a 2 year retirement brings back to the stage his polished vocal and guitar skills.
Rounding out The Benders is Bassist Larry “Campy” Campanello. Recently re-joining the band after a two year “vacation ” Campy brings his unique bass, vocal and fashion flare to the band in addition to the often imitated but never duplicated “Campy Shuffle”
One of the most common questions besides “Is that your real hair?” is how the group gets its name, “The Benders”. This is a question, the group says, that has a combination of answers, one gruesome and one logical.
The unique answer to that question is that one day when looking for a group name, the men stumbled across a newspaper clipping that told of a family in Southeastern Kansas with the last name of Benders. As the story goes, the Benders family set up a restaurant and were suspected of murdering some of their diners.
Making a long story short, the men combined the fact that many of the great bands from the 1950s used the naming format of “The _______,” and the story they found about the Benders in the mid-nineteenth century, to come up with the benders.
Audio Gallery
Song List
All Shook Up
Bad Moon Risin’
Black is Black
Bye, Bye Love
Crazy
Devil In The Blue Dress
Doo Wah Ditty
Down on the Corner
Dream Lover
Earth Angel
Finger Poppin’ Time
Fire
Get Ready
Go to Pieces
Harlem Nocturne
Hound Dog
I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You
I Feel Good
In The Still of the Night
Little Bitty Pretty One
Long Cool Woman
Louie, Louie
Maybe Baby
Maybelline
Melancoly Serenade
Mony, Mony
My Girl
Pink Cadillac
Poor Side of Town
Pretty Woman
Rip it Up
Rockin’ in the USA
Rockin’ Robin
Sea Cruise
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Some Kind of Wonderful
Spirit in the Sky
Steamroller Blues
Stray Cat Strut
Stuck in the Middle with You
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Then You Can Say Goodbye
Thrill on the Hill
Too Much
Tossin’ and Turnin’
Unchained Melody
Waterbed Lou
Who Put the Bomp?
Whole Lotta Shakin’
Wipe Out
You Really Got a Hold on Me
You Send Me