Chris Bender

On November 3, 1991, at 2:17 A.M., Bender was shot and killed in Brockton while sitting in his black Mercedes Benz outside of the Crescent Court housing project where his mother lived. Chris Bender was sitting in the driver's seat in his Mercedes Benz with his 17 year old cousin Jesse Starks and they were both smoking marijuana and talking and then they heard gunshots and 3 hooded men fired gunshots at the Mercedes Benz and then Chris Bender shielded his cousin Jesse Starks from the gunshots and his cousin was unharmed but Chris Bender was struck 4 times and in the back and he died from his wounds in the hospital. during the shooting while Chris was shielding Jesse Starks from the gunshots Chris Bender was shot at four times in the back of his torso and once in the elbow and in November 9,1991 Chris Bender was buried at Melrose cemetery in Plymouth county in Brockton, Massachusetts.Eroy Kindell was convicted of second degree murder and has been recently released from prison. His accomplice Stephen "Sticks" Fernandes was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.

He was from the Boston, Massachusetts area, growing up in Brockton, Massachusetts and later living in Waltham. At the age of 16, Bender recorded his first album, Chris Bender, for Epic Records. The first single "Baby Girl" was released in 1989 but limited copies of the album were released. Bender's manager Terryl L. Calloway later stated about Baby Girl: " The video was never [released]. Due to the lack of singles in the album this prompted Epic records to shelved The music video of "baby girl" and Epic Records dropped Bender from the label. " in 1991, Bender nevertheless went on to secure a $500,000 contract with EastWest Records. He signed a seven-album contract, although only one album on that contract was released before his death. The album Draped hit No. 92 on the Billboard magazine R&B album chart. His two charted singles "I Knew" and "That's Not The Way" broke into the top 70 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. Other songs he was known for included "Who Will I Choose" and "Kiss and Make Up". His first single from the album Draped was the song "I Knew" peaked at #43 on the billboards R&B singles chart, staying on the for 10 weeks. The follow-up single "That's not the way" peaked at #68 billboards hot R&B singles chart, staying on the chart for 5 weeks.The song "I Knew" was his only music video made and becoming his only highest chart appearance.

Christopher Lamont Bender, known as Chris Bender, (August 2, 1972 – November 3, 1991) was an American R&B singer who reached the national music charts in 1991 with the album entitled Draped before his murder.

Christopher Lamont Bender was the youngest of six children to Andrew Bender, an construction worker and Betty Anne bender, nurse's aide. he was born in August 2,1972 in Brockton, Massachusettes. The Bender family were very active in church and when Chris Bender was 10 years old he discovered his singing voice and on Thanksgiving day he sung the song Amazing Grace and had everyone in tears because they loved Chris' voice and by listening to his parents Record collection he was influenced by Michael Jackson, Prince (musician), Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and New Edition and when Chris Bender was 12 years old he met a man named Bobby Jones who owned a studio in his neighborhood and helped Chris Bender develop his singing voice. at the age of 14 years old in 1986, Chris Bender formed his own professional group called "steady Life" with two siblings and two cousins the group would perform at clubs in Brockton, Massachusetts and Chris was expelled from high school for fighting and he decided to dropped out of high school and he wanted to purse a music career and Chris Bender would go to New York City and met talent agent Earl Williams who became his manager and got him a record deal with Epic records in 1989.