The Righteous Brothers’ award-winning singer, songwriter and producer Bill Medley will bring back that lovin’ feelin’ to audiences at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on July 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale, now.
“You never close your eyes…” That simple, six-note opening line from “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” resonates among the most familiar kick-offs in pop music history. It helped create an unexpected legacy. Today, the song stands as the most-played hit in the history of American radio. Hatfield’s “Unchained Melody,” which was produced by Medley, re-surfaced 25 years after they first recorded it to become an essential, million-selling part of the movie Ghost. It has since been recognized in an AOL poll as the best love song of all-time.
When Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield closed their eyes at their beginning in 1962, they clutched a rather naïve dream – they simply wanted to put a group together that was good enough to play Las Vegas lounges.
Within two years of their formation, the duo had made inroads at radio, landed a semi-regular spot on ABC-TV’s Shindig, and proved flexible enough to share concert bills with the legendary Jack Benny, and open for The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Despite an earlier 1963 hit, “Little Latin Lupe Lu,” their full power would not be recognized until the 1964 session that yielded “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.”
But it’s merely one of numerous pinnacle moments The Righteous Brothers would achieve. They crashed the Billboard Top 10 five times in 15 months, adding such classics as “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration,” “Ebb Tide” and “Just Once in My Life.” In 1974, the reverential “Rock and Roll Heaven” hit the charts.
As well as having a career with The Righteous Brothers, Bill Medley has had a successful career as a solo artist recording 14 albums including the Grammy award-winning Dirty Dancing. Medley’s duet with Jennifer Warnes, “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” from the soundtrack was a platinum seller and walked away with the “Song of the Year” honors.
The Righteous Brothers galvanized the link between rock and rhythm & blues so convincingly that they spurred the creation of a new term, “blue-eyed soul.” And, their legacy was permanently recognized with their 2003 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Though Bobby Hatfield passed away in 2003, fans of multiple generations still keep The Righteous Brothers’ legacy alive.
Tickets cost $59, $49 and $39*; all seats are available at the Hard Rock Live Box Office, Tuesday – Saturday from noon – 6 p.m. and Sunday – Monday only open on event days at noon. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open one-hour prior to show start time. *Additional fees may apply.