The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo composed of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform live until Hatfield's death in 2003. Their emotive vocal stylings were often dubbed "blue-eyed soul." Hatfield and Medley both possessed exceptional vocal talent, with range, control and tone that helped them create a strong and distinct duet sound (and perform as soloists). Medley sang the low parts with his deep, soulful baritone, with Hatfield taking the higher register vocals with his soaring tenor. They gained their name when a Black Marine shouted out "That was righteous, brothers" at the end of a show. Their first major hit single was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" in 1965. Produced by Phil Spector, it was one of the most successful pop singles of its time, despite exceeding the standard length for radio play. Indeed, according to BMI, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' remains the most played song in radio history, estimated to have been broadcast over 8 million times to date. They had several other Spector-produced hit singles in 1965, including "Just Once in My Life," "Unchained Melody" and "Ebb Tide". In 1974, no longer with Spector, they scored another hit with "Rock and Roll Heaven", a paean to deceased rock singers. A few more minor hits followed, and then the Righteous Brothers were hitless again until 1990, when their original 1965 version of "Unchained Melody" returned to the charts following its inclusion in the movie Ghost. At the same time, the duo released a newly recorded version of "Unchained Melody" on Curb Records, which was certified platinum for sales of a million US copies. Medley had success (without Hatfield) in 1987, with "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," sung with Jennifer Warnes, from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, earning a Grammy Award. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2003. Hatfield died of a cocaine overdose on November 5, 2003. He was found dead in his hotel room in Kalamazoo, Michigan, half an hour before he was due to perform a concert with Medley at Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium.They will forever be one of my favorite male duos. What a knockout combo! Learn more at: http://www.righteousbrothersdiscogrpahy.com/

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