The Righteous Brothers

Biography

The Righteous Brothers were an American musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They formed in 1962 in the Los Angeles area, first as part of a five-member group called The Paramours. The name "The Righteous Brothers" was reportedly adopted after a Marine in the audience shouted "That was righteous, brothers!" at the end of a performance. Their unique sound, often described as "blue-eyed soul," featured Medley's deep bass-baritone and Hatfield's high tenor vocals.

Career Breakthrough

Initially, they experienced moderate success with songs like "Little Latin Lupe Lu". Their major breakthrough came in 1964 when they partnered with producer Phil Spector. Under Spector's guidance, they released "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," which became a transatlantic number-one hit and is considered a landmark recording. This was followed by other major hits in 1965, including "Just Once in My Life," "Unchained Melody," and "Ebb Tide". In 1966, they released the number-one hit "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration".

Solo Careers and Reunions

The duo split in 1968, with both Medley and Hatfield pursuing solo careers, though neither achieved the same level of success as they had together. Hatfield continued for a time with singer Jimmy Walker as The Righteous Brothers. The original pair reunited in 1974 and had a comeback hit with "Rock and Roll Heaven". They reunited again in 1981 and continued to perform together until Hatfield's death in 2003. The popularity of their song "Unchained Melody" surged in 1990 after being featured in the film Ghost.

Legacy

The Righteous Brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005. Their song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is recognized by BMI as the most-played song on American radio and television of the 20th century. In 2016, Bill Medley revived The Righteous Brothers with new partner Bucky Heard, and they continue to perform the duo's classic songs.