The Righteous Brothers

Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley were in different groups before they met – Hatfield was in a group from Anaheim called the Variations, and Medley in a group from Santa Ana called the Paramours.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA10 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |pages=10–11 }} Barry Rillera, a member of Medley's band who was also in Hatfield's group, suggested they go see each other's show and perform together.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oRV3CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT25 |title=Rock 'n' Roll in Orange County: Music, Madness and Memories |first= Chris |last=Epting|publisher= The History Press |date=November 18, 2014|isbn= 9781625851420 }} Later, after a member of Paramours left in 1962, Hatfield and Medley joined forces and formed a new Paramours, which included Johnny Wimber (a founder of the Vineyard Movement).{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} They started performing at a club called John's Black Derby in Santa Ana, and were signed to a small record label Moonglow in 1962. They released a single "There She Goes (She's Walking Away)" in December 1962. However, the Paramours did not have much success and soon broke up, leaving Hatfield and Medley to perform as a duo in 1963.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QVt7_WQtqeoC&pg=PA64 |title=Haunted Las Vegas: Famous Phantoms, Creepy Casinos, and Gambling Ghosts |page=64 |publisher= Globe Pequot Press|year= 2012|isbn=9780762789108 }} According to Medley, they then adopted the name The Righteous Brothers for the duo because black Marines from the El Toro Marine base started calling them "righteous brothers". At the end of a performance, a black U.S. Marine in the audience would shout, "That was righteous, brothers!", and would greet them with "Hey righteous brothers, how you doin'?" on meeting them.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA12 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |pages=12–13 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.righteousbrothers.com/bio.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501231304/http://www.righteousbrothers.com/bio.htm|url-status=dead|title=That was righteous, brothers!|archive-date=May 1, 2015}}

The Righteous Brothers released three albums under the Moonglow label, one of these and a further compilation album were released after they had joined Phil Spector. They released 12 singles with Moonglow, but only two were moderate hits – "Little Latin Lupe Lu" and "My Babe" from their first album Right Now!.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3u7iBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA283 |title= Encyclopedia of Pop Music Aliases, 1950–2000|author= Bob Leszczak |page=283 |publisher= Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |date=December 11, 2014 |isbn=9781442240087 }} In August and September 1964, they opened for The Beatles in their first U.S. tour.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xWRyBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA935 |title=Beatles Encyclopedia, The: Everything Fab Four: Everything Fab Four|author= Kenneth Womack |pages=935–936 |publisher= Greenwood |year= 2014 |isbn=9780313391729 }} However, they left before the tour finished as they were asked to appear on a new television show called Shindig!;{{cite book |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA74 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |chapter=Chapter 5: The Beatles|pages=22–24 }}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-the-righteous-brothers-20030228 |title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Righteous Brothers|author= Bill Crandall|date= February 28, 2003 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} they also felt unappreciated by the audience as they were then little known on the East Coast, and the audience demanded to hear the Beatles while they were performing.{{cite web |url=http://www.classicbands.com/BobbyHatfieldInterview.html |title= Gary James' Interview With Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers |author=Gary James |work=Classicbands.com }} They returned to Los Angeles to tape the pilot for the show, and would later appear in the show regularly. Their next album was Some Blue-Eyed Soul; the term blue-eyed soul was first used to refer to The Righteous Brothers by black DJs, but after they became popular, the term became a general term for all white singers who sang what was then considered "black music".{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |page=18 }} In October and November 1964, they opened for The Rolling Stones on their American tour.{{cite web |url=http://www.parkrecord.com/scene/ci_26025393/righteous-brother-bill-medley-will-share-stories |title=Righteous Brother Bill Medley will share stories with Park City|author=Scott Iwasaki|work= The Park Record| date=June 24, 2014 }}

In 1964, music producer Phil Spector came across the Righteous Brothers when they performed in a show at the Cow Palace in Daly City, where one of Spector's acts, The Ronettes, was also appearing, and he conducted the band for the show. Spector was impressed enough to arrange a deal with Moonglow in early October 1964 allowing him to record and release songs by the Righteous Brothers in the US, Canada and UK under his own label, Philles Records.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AtGGsfW10d0C&pg=PA171 |title=Tearing Down The Wall of Sound: The Rise And Fall of Phil Spector|author= Mick Brown |page=171 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |date=April 7, 2008|isbn=978-0747572473 }}{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark |url-access=registration |title=He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer|author= Mark Ribowsky |pages=[https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark/page/184 184]–185 |publisher= Cooper Square Press|date=May 2, 2000 |isbn=9781461661030 }} Prior to this, all the songs Spector produced for Philles Records featured African-American singers; the Righteous Brothers would be his first white vocal group for the label. However, their "blue-eyed soul" vocal style suited Spector.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyyVGNycEA0C&pg=PT117 |title=Phil Spector: Out Of His Head|author= Richard Williams |publisher= Omnibus Press |edition= Revised |date=November 17, 2009 |isbn=9780857120564 }}

Spector commissioned Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil to write a song for them, which turned out to be "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'".{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA102 |title=Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 2|author=Steve Sullivan|pages=101–103 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |date=October 4, 2013 |isbn= 978-0810882959 }}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-gwHkKmuqDwC&pg=PA201 |title=The 100 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs Ever|author= Avram Mednick |page=201 |publisher=iUniverse |date=June 12, 2000|isbn= 978-0595093045 }} The song, released in late 1964, became their first major hit single and reached No. 1 in February 1965.{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19838/m1/ |title=Show 55 – Crammer: A lively cram course on the history of rock and some other things }} Produced by Phil Spector, the record is often cited as one of the finest expressions of Spector's Wall of Sound production techniques. It is one of the most successful pop singles of its time, despite exceeding the then-standard length for radio play. Indeed, according to BMI, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" became the most-played song on American radio and television of the 20th century, with more than eight million airplays by the end of 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/232893 |title=BMI Announces Top 100 Songs of the Century |publisher=BMI |date=December 13, 1999 |access-date=March 27, 2013}}

The Righteous Brothers had several other hit singles with Philles Records in 1965, including "Just Once in My Life" and "Unchained Melody" (originally the B-side of "Hung on You"),{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1928 |title=Unchained Melody at Songfacts |publisher=Songfacts.com |access-date=March 27, 2013}} both reaching the Billboard Top 10. Medley said that he produced "Unchained Melody"; the song was originally intended only as a track on the album Just Once in My Life, and Spector had asked him to produce the albums so Spector could spend time and money on producing singles.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA35 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |page=35 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2014/05/06/soul-inspiration-a-conversation-with-bill-medley-of-the-righteous-brothers/| title=Soul & Inspiration: A Conversation with Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers |last=Sharp |first=Ken |publisher=Rockcellar Magazine |access-date=September 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608031856/http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2014/05/06/soul-inspiration-a-conversation-with-bill-medley-of-the-righteous-brothers/#sthash.b1Vob7EZ.dpbs |archive-date=June 8, 2017 }} Later copies of the original 45 release credited Spector as producer when it became a hit.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA54 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |page=54 }}

After the success of "Unchained Melody", Spector started releasing older songs with the Righteous Brothers, including "Ebb Tide", which reached No. 5. Hatfield was the only vocal on "Unchained Melody" and "Ebb Tide", and both were songs Bobby Hatfield had performed with his first group, the Variations. According to Medley, both the early singles "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Just Once in My Life" featured Medley's vocal strongly, which caused some friction between the duo, and the Hatfield solos in later singles restored some balance between the two.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA55 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |page=55 }} The last single released that they recorded with Philles Records was "The White Cliffs of Dover".{{cite web |url=https://rockhall.com/inductees/righteous-brothers/bio/ |title=Righteous Brothers |work=Rock&Roll Hall of Fame}} Although Spector focused his attention in producing singles, a number of albums by the Righteous Brothers released with Philles Records sold well.

In 1965, they had a couple of guest appearances in the films A Swingin' Summer and Beach Ball. They also became the first rock and roll act to play the Strip in Las Vegas (at The Sands).{{cite web |url=http://www.righteousbrothers.com/interview.htm |title=The Interview (September 1996) |work=Righteousbrothers.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127100023/http://righteousbrothers.com/interview.htm |archive-date=January 27, 2016}}

The duo's relationship with Spector however ended in some acrimony;{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark |url-access=registration |title=He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer|author= Mark Ribowsky |pages=[https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark/page/208 208]–211 |publisher= Cooper Square Press|date=May 2, 2000 |isbn=9781461661030 }} in 1966 they signed with Verve/MGM Records, leading to a lawsuit from Spector, which MGM settled with a $600,000 payment to Spector.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark |url-access=registration |title=He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer|author= Mark Ribowsky |pages=[https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark/page/211 211]–[https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark/page/213 213] |publisher= Cooper Square Press|date=May 2, 2000 |isbn=9781461661030 }} Their next release in 1966, "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" was a Phil Spector sound-alike song. The song was first written by Mann and Weil after the success of "Lovin' Feelin'" but not completed, and they finished the song following a request by Medley after the Righteous Brothers moved to Verve.{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/emsoul--inspirationem-a-c_b_1658056.html |title= Soul & Inspiration: A Conversation With Songwriters Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Plus Milan's Calibro 35|date=July 9, 2012 |author=Mike Ragogna |work=Huffington Post }} Medley then produced the completed song, and was able to fully simulate the Spector style of production and achieve a similar sound to that of "Lovin' Feelin'". It quickly became their second No. 1 U.S. hit, staying at the top for three weeks.

After a few more top-40 hits, including "He" and "Go Ahead And Cry", their popularity began to decline. Even a collaboration with former Motown A&R chief William "Mickey" Stevenson failed to work. In 1967, before they went their separate ways, and, to capitalize on their previous hits, Verve/MGM issued a "Greatest Hits" compilation which has been modified twice: in 1983 with 10 tracks and in 1990 with two more tracks.

The duo split up in February 1968, a breakup that would last for more than six years, when Medley left to pursue a solo career.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16 |title=Medley Leaves Righteous Bros |magazine=Billboard |date= February 24, 1968 }} Medley recorded a few solo recordings on several labels, while Hatfield teamed up with singer Jimmy Walker (from The Knickerbockers) using the Righteous Brothers name on the MGM label. Medley first recorded "I Can't Make It Alone" written by Carole King, but the song failed to make much of an impact. The following single, "Brown Eyed Woman" written by Mann and Weil, performed better.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA74 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |page=74 }} However, neither he nor Hatfield was able to match their previous chart success.

Hatfield and Jimmy Walker recorded an album, Re-Birth, as The Righteous Brothers before disbanding in 1971.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QVt7_WQtqeoC&pg=PA67 |title=Haunted Las Vegas: Famous Phantoms, Creepy Casinos, and Gambling Ghosts |page=67 |publisher= Globe Pequot Press|year= 2012|isbn=9780762789108 }}{{cite web |url=https://thriftyvinyl.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/the-righteous-brothers-re-birth-svlp-9249-1969/ |title=The Righteous Brothers – Re-Birth (SVLP 9249) (1969) |work=Thrifty Vinyl |date=January 31, 2013 }} In a 2013 interview, Jimmy Walker said he had wanted to continue, but Hatfield decided to take a break and broke up the act.{{cite web |url=http://somethingelsereviews.com/2013/03/02/something-else-interview-jimmy-walker-of-the-knickerbockers-and-the-righteous-brothers/ |date=March 2, 2013|author= Katy Levy |title=Something Else! Interview: Jimmy Walker of the Knickerbockers and the Righteous Brothers |work=Something Else}} In 1969, Hatfield appeared in a TV movie, The Ballad of Andy Crocker, and also recorded "Only You". He released a solo album, Messin' In Muscle Shoals in 1971.{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Bobby-Hatfield-Messin-In-Muscle-Shoals/release/2584349 |title=Bobby Hatfield – Messin' In Muscle Shoals |work=Discogs |year=1971 }}

According to Medley, he was performing three shows a night in Las Vegas, but finding it too much of a strain on his voice singing solo, and under advice he sought out Hatfield to reform The Righteous Brothers; Hatfield at this point was broke and living alone in a small apartment.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA101 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |pages=101–102 }} In 1974, Medley and Hatfield announced their reunion at an appearance on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wNfx07-AJwcC&pg=PA225 |title=Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop|author= Frank Hoffmann |year=2005|pages=225–226|publisher=Facts on File |isbn=9780816069804 }} They signed with Haven Records, run by producers Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and distributed by Capitol Records. Within a few weeks of reforming, they recorded Alan O'Day's "Rock and Roll Heaven", a paean to several deceased rock singers which became a hit, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Several more minor hits on Haven followed. After 1975, however, the Righteous Brothers would not appear in music charts except for re-releases of older songs and compilation albums, some of which were re-recordings of earlier works.

Between 1976 and 1981, Hatfield and Medley stopped performing as a duo after the death of Medley's first wife, as he wanted time off to look after his son. They reunited for an anniversary special on American Bandstand in 1981 to perform an updated version of "Rock and Roll Heaven". They resumed touring intermittently, and they recorded a 21st Anniversary Celebration concert in 1983 at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, which was later released on video and was also aired on television.{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/previews/newsletter/archives/20080601.html |title=PBS Preview | Newsletter |website=PBS |access-date=July 11, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616045430/http://www.pbs.org/previews/newsletter/archives/20080601.html |archive-date=June 16, 2008}}

In the late 1970s, Medley once again began to record as a solo artist and had some success in the 1980s. In 1984, he scored country hits with "Till Your Memory's Gone" and "I Still Do", the latter also an adult-contemporary crossover hit. In late 1987, his duet with Jennifer Warnes, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", which appeared on the soundtrack for Dirty Dancing, topped the Billboard Hot 100. It won them a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

In 1990, Bobby Hatfield's original recording of "Unchained Melody" was featured in the popular feature film Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. It triggered an avalanche of requests to Top 40 radio stations by fans who had seen the movie to play the 1965 Righteous Brothers' recording. This motivated Polygram (which now owned the Verve/MGM label archives) to re-release the song to Top 40 radio. It became a major hit for a second time, reaching No. 13 on the Hot 100 in 1990. It also became their second No. 1 in the UK. The duo quickly re-recorded another version of "Unchained Melody" for Curb Records. Both the reissued and the re-recorded songs charted at the same time for several weeks, and the Righteous Brothers made history as the first act to have two versions of the same song in the Top 20 at the same time.{{cite web |url=http://www.spectropop.com/remembers/BHobit.htm |title=BOBBY HATFIELD (1940 - 2003) Blue-eyed Soul Brother |author=Peter Richmond |work=Spectropop }} The re-recorded "Unchained Melody" hit No. 19 on the Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Unchained Melody|artist=Righteous Brothers}}

They also re-recorded other songs for a budget-priced CD, The Best of The Righteous Brothers, released by Curb Records. Medley would later describe the re-recordings as "artistically, a stupid idea; financially, a wonderfully idea".{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA141 |title=The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir|author= Bill Medley |publisher=Da Capo Press |date=April 24, 2014|isbn= 978-0306823169 |page=141 }} The album sold very well and received a double platinum certification from the RIAA.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=album|title=Unchained Melody – Best Of The Righteous Brothers|artist=Righteous Brothers}} A greatest hits CD collection of the original recordings called The Very Best of The Righteous Brothers...Unchained Melody{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000001FZC/ |title=The Very Best of The Righteous Brothers...Unchained Melody |website=Amazon |date=1991 |access-date=March 27, 2013}} was released later by Verve/Polydor. This compilation album also became their first entry in the UK album chart.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0zQDAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT45 |title=Million Sellers|date=November 4, 2012|publisher=Official Charts Company |isbn=9780857128829}} They began to tour extensively all through the 1990s and early 2000s and performed for about 12 weeks a year in Las Vegas.{{cite web |url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/artists/C4119 |title=The Righteous Brothers |work=Songwriters Hall of Fame |access-date=December 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013094020/http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/artists/C4119 |archive-date=October 13, 2015 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/righteous-brothers-history/ |title="Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" 1964–1965|work= The Pop History of Dig }}

Bobby Hatfield was found dead in his hotel room in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on November 5, 2003, shortly before he was due to perform at a concert with Bill Medley at Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/68317/righteous-brother-bobby-hatfield-dies |title=Righteous Brother Bobby Hatfield Dies|date= November 6, 2003 |magazine=Billboard}} The autopsy report attributed his death to heart failure brought on by cocaine.{{cite news |last=Strauss |first=Neil |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE1DF1131F93BA35752C0A9629C8B63 |title=The Pop Life; Drugs, Demons: A Man In a Mask |date=January 8, 2004 |access-date=September 18, 2007 |work=The New York Times}} Bill Medley continued to perform as a solo artist for some time after Hatfield's death, occasionally singing with a screen projection of old film footage of Hatfield.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3u7iBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA285 |title= Encyclopedia of Pop Music Aliases, 1950–2000|author= Bob Leszczak |page=285 |publisher= Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |date=December 11, 2014 |isbn=9781442240087 }}

In January 2016, Medley announced he intended to revive the Righteous Brothers for the first time since 2003. The late Hatfield was replaced with singer Bucky Heard at Las Vegas's Harrah's Showroom for more than 40 shows from March 23, 2016, to November 8.{{cite news |url=http://kwbe.com/abc_classicr/bill-medley-reforms-the-righteous-brothers-with-new-duet-partner-for-las-vegas-residency-abcid35603286/ |title=Bill Medley Reforms The Righteous Brothers with New Duet Partner for Las Vegas Residency |date=February 5, 2016 |work=ABC News Radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222074016/http://kwbe.com/abc_classicr/bill-medley-reforms-the-righteous-brothers-with-new-duet-partner-for-las-vegas-residency-abcid35603286/ |archive-date=February 22, 2016}} The repertoire included some of the Righteous Brothers' best-known songs, such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", "Soul & Inspiration", "Unchained Melody", but also the later "Rock and Roll Heaven", as well as Bill Medley's "The Time of My Life".{{cite web|url=http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article/the-righteous-brothers-to-perform-at-harrahs-las-vegas-starting-march-23-216440|title=The Righteous Brothers to perform at Harrah's Las Vegas starting March 23|website=www.casinocitytimes.com}} Medley explained that it was the encouragement of the Righteous Brothers' fans as well as several friends, producers and contacts in Las Vegas that made him consider reviving the Righteous Brothers' name again, while acknowledging that it was a difficult choice to continue without Hatfield, saying "I've had a million fans hollering at me to keep the Righteous Brothers alive... I looked at a couple of guys, but you know, you can't replace Bobby Hatfield, he's the best in the world". Medley was previously acquainted with Heard and watched him perform at a tribute concert to Journey, after which he realized that Heard was the only one he would consider capable of filling Hatfield's shoes, also noting that he and Heard had good chemistry together. Medley approached Heard a few days later and discussed the matter, which ended in a coin toss, which Medley won, resulting in Heard accepting Medley's proposal. Heard has since communicated that he knows he can never replace Hatfield, nor will he attempt to do so and that he intends to sing like Hatfield rather than sound like him.{{cite web|url=http://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_c0300126-8d82-11e5-8c47-8b5319049d92.html|title='Lovin' Feeling' no longer lost|first=Joshua|last=Clark|date=November 17, 2015 }} A new CD was released the same year, featuring several of the Righteous Brothers' hit singles sung by Medley and Heard.{{cite web|url=http://righteousbrothers.com/righteous-brothers-audio-cd/|title=The Righteous Brothers Audio CD – Righteous Brothers|website=righteousbrothers.com}}

In early 2024, after six decades of touring, Bill Medley announced his forthcoming retirement from the road with the Righteous Brothers; Lovin' Feelin' Farewell Tour. The tour commenced in January 2024 and is expected to run throughout the year and into early 2025.{{Cite web |last=Larsen |first=Peter |date=2024-01-16 |title=Bill Medley opens up about the Righteous Brothers' farewell tour and retirement |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2024/01/16/bill-medley-opens-up-about-the-righteous-brothers-farewell-tour-and-retirement/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}

The Righteous Brothers were nominated twice for a Grammy. In 1965, their recording of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" was nominated in the Best Rock And Roll Recording category at the 7th Annual Grammy Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1965-217.html |title=Grammy Awards 1965 |work=Awards & Shows }} Their re-recording of "Unchained Melody" was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1991 Grammy.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KA8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA71 |title=Hatfield dies at 63 |magazine=Billboard |date=November 15, 2003 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1991/grammys.htm |title=33rd Grammy Awards – 1991 |work=Rock on the Net }} They were also awarded the Best New Singing Group in the Billboard Disc Jockey Poll in 1965.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZykEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39 |title=Billboard |date=April 3, 1965 |page=39 }}

The Righteous Brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2003.{{cite web |url=http://rockhall.com/video/5131/ |title=Billy Joel inducts The Righteous Brothers Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions 2003 |work=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118221951/http://rockhall.com/video/5131/ |archive-date=November 18, 2015}} They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2019 The Righteous Brothers were Inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Current members

• Bill Medley (1962–1968, 1974–1976, 1981–2003, 2016–present)
• Bucky Heard (2016–present)

Former members

• Bobby Hatfield (1962–1971, 1974–1976, 1981–2003; died 2003)
• Jimmy Walker (1968–1971; died 2020)

{{#tag:timeline|

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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Period = from:01/01/1962 till:20/08/2024

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id:album value:black legend:Studio_album

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bar:Bill text:"Bill Medley"

bar:Bobby text:"Bobby Hatfield"

bar:Jimmy text:"Jimmy Walker"

bar:Bucky text:"Bucky Heard"

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bar:Bobby from:start till:01/01/1971 color:vocals

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bar:Bill from:01/01/1974 till:01/01/1976 color:vocals

bar:Bobby from:01/01/1974 till:01/01/1976 color:vocals

bar:Bill from:01/01/1981 till:05/11/2003 color:vocals

bar:Bobby from:01/01/1981 till:05/11/2003 color:vocals

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at:01/06/1966

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}}

For their discography as solo artists, see Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield.

Many compilation albums by The Righteous Brothers have been released, the following is a selection of compilation albums that received certifications.

| 75

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|-

|align=left| "Koko Joe"
b/w "B-Flat Blues"

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|-

| rowspan="4"|1964

|align=left| "Try to Find Another Man"
b/w "I Still Love You" (from This Is New!)

| —

| —

| —

| —

|

|align="left" rowspan="3"|Some Blue-Eyed Soul

|-

|align=left| "Bring Your Love to Me"
b/w "If You're Lying, You'll Be Crying" (from This Is New!)

| —

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|-

|align=left| "This Little Girl of Mine"
b/w "If You're Lying, You'll Be Crying" (from This Is New!)

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| —

| —

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|-

|align=left| "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
b/w "There's a Woman"

| 1

| 1

| 1

| 8{{ref label|note_d4|d}}

|

• UK: Silver{{Cite certification|region=United Kingdom|type=single|title=You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'|artist=Righteous Brothers|id=16578-451-1}}

|align="left"|You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin{{'}}

|-

|rowspan=7| 1965

|align=left| "Bring Your Love to Me" /
"Fannie Mae"{{ref label|note_a2|b|}}

| 83
117

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|

|align="left"|Some Blue-Eyed Soul

|-

|align=left| "Just Once in My Life"
b/w "The Blues"

| 9

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| 6

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|

|align="left"|Just Once in My Life

|-

|align=left| "You Can Have Her"{{ref label|note_a2|b|}}
b/w "Love or Magic" (from Right Now!)

| 67

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| 17

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|

|align="left" rowspan="2"|This Is New!

|-

|align=left| "Justine"{{ref label|note_a2|b}}
b/w "In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin'" (from Right Now!)

| 85

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| 37

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|

|-

|align=left| "Unchained Melody" /
"Hung on You" (from Back To Back)

| 4
47

| 14
—

| 9
—

| 8
—

|

|align="left"|Just Once In My Life

|-

|align=left| "For Your Love"
b/w "Gotta Tell You How I Feel" (from This Is New!)

| —

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| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Some Blue-Eyed Soul

|-

|align=left| "Ebb Tide"
b/w "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"

| 5

| 48

| 5

| —

|

|align="left"|Back To Back

|-

|rowspan=8| 1966

|align=left| "Georgia on My Mind"{{ref label|note_a2|b|}}
b/w "My Tears Will Go Away" (from Some Blue-Eyed Soul)

| 62

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| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Right Now!

|-

|align=left| "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration"
b/w "B-Side Blues" (Non-album track)

| 1

| 15

| 2

| —

|

• US: Gold{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Righteous Brothers|artist=Righteous Brothers}}

|align="left" rowspan="2"|Soul & Inspiration

|-

|align=left| "He" /
"He Will Break Your Heart"

| 18
91

| —
—

| 17
—

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|

|-

|align=left| "Bring Your Love to Me" (second reissue)
b/w "I Need a Girl" (from This Is New!)

| —

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| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Some Blue-Eyed Soul

|-

|align=left| "Go Ahead and Cry"
b/w "Things Didn't Go Your Way"

| 30

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| 27

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|

|align="left"|Go Ahead and Cry

|-

|align=left| "On This Side of Goodbye"
b/w "A Man Without a Dream"

| 47

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| 42

| —

|

|align="left"|Sayin' Somethin{{'}}

|-

|align=left| "The White Cliffs of Dover"
b/w "She's Mine, All Mine"

| —

| 21

| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Back To Back

|-

|align=left| "Island in the Sun"
b/w "What Now My Love"

| —

| 24

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|

|align="left"|Go Ahead and Cry

|-

|rowspan=4| 1967

|align=left| "Along Came Jones"
b/w "Jimmy's Blues"

| —

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| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Sayin' Somethin'

|-

|align=left| "Melancholy Music Man"
b/w "Don't Give Up on Me"

| 43

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|

|align="left"|Non-album tracks

|-

|align=left| "Stranded in the Middle of No Place"
b/w "Been So Nice"

| 72
128

| —

| —

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|

|align="left"|Souled Out

|-

|align=left| "My Darling Clementine"
b/w "That Lucky Old Sun"
Unreleased single

| —

| —

| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Standards

|-

| 1968

|align=left| "Here I Am"
b/w "So Many Lonely Nights Ahead"

| —

| —

| —

| —

|

|align="left"|Souled Out

|-

| 1969

|align=left| "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
b/w "Let the Good Times Roll" (from The Righteous Brothers Greatest Hits, Vol. 2)
UK reissue

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| 10

| —

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|

|align="left"|The Righteous Brothers Greatest Hits

|}

| 13

| 1

| 1

| 4

| 1

|

• AUS: Platinum
• UK: Platinum{{Cite certification|region=United Kingdom|type=single|title=Unchained Melody The Very Best Of The Righteous Bros|artist=Righteous Brothers|id=7874-451-2}}

|-

|align=left| "Unchained Melody" (new 1990 recording for Curb Records)
CD single

| 19

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|

• US: Platinum{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Righteous Brothers|artist=Righteous Brothers}}

|align="left"|Best Of Righteous Brothers

|-

|align=left| "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
b/w "Ebb Tide"

| —

| 129

| 3

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| —

|

|align="left"|Unchained Melody – The Very Best of The Righteous Brothers

|-

| colspan="9" style="font-size:9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country

|}

;Notes

{{refbegin}}

• note a{{Note|note_a1}}"My Babe" re-charted in 1965 at No. 101 U.S.
• note b{{Note|note_a2}}"Bring Your Love to Me"/"Fannie Mae", "You Can Have Her", "Justine" and "Georgia on My Mind" were older recordings released as singles in the U.S. by the Moonglow label to cash in on the duo's success on Philles (1964–65) and Verve (1966–67), which explains their relatively low chart positions.
• note c{{Note|note_a3}}The 1990 re-issue of "Unchained Melody" also charted at No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
• note d{{Note|note_d4}} Three versions were ranked together as one in the Dutch Top 40 chart – the versions by the Righteous Brothers, Cilla Black, and a local cover by Trea Dobbs.{{cite web |url=http://www.top40.nl/top40/1965/week-12 |title=week 12 (20 maart 1965) |work=Media Markt 100 }}

{{refend}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://righteousbrothers.com}}
• {{YouTube |id=5pPlTSAV89o |title=The Righteous Brothers – Legends In Concert}} – The 1983 recording of their anniversary concert at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles
• [http://www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com Righteous Brothers Discography] — compiled by Peter Richmond
• [http://www.jeffosretromusic.com/rbrothers.html Righteous Brothers] — by Dr. Frank Hoffmann

{{The Righteous Brothers}}

{{2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}

{{UK best-selling singles (by year) 1990–2009}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Righteous Brothers, The}}

Category:American pop music groups

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Category:American soul musical groups

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Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2016

Category:1962 establishments in California

Category:American male musical duos