The voice behind the Righteous Brothers' biggest hits was a reluctant solo star
In short: Bobby Hatfield, the tenor half of the Righteous Brothers, defined the duo's sound with his soaring solo performances on classics like Unchained Melody. Though he often stood in the shadow of the group's fame, his vocal range remained remarkably consistent, even expanding as he aged into his later career.
Born in 1940, Robert Lee Hatfield was an athlete and student leader in Anaheim, California, before his passion for music eclipsed a potential career in professional baseball. After early stints in local groups like the Variations and the Paramours, he joined Bill Medley in 1963 to form the Righteous Brothers. The duo earned their name after Black Marines, impressed by their soulful, gospel-inflected sound, remarked that their singing was righteous.
Hatfield’s most iconic work often came when he stepped into the spotlight alone. While the duo achieved massive success under producer Phil Spector—most notably with their 1964 number-one hit You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'—it was Hatfield’s solo performance on Unchained Melody that became a signature of their legacy. He continued to showcase his range on other standards, including Ebb Tide and The White Cliffs of Dover. Even decades later, following the 1990 film Ghost, which revitalized interest in Unchained Melody, Hatfield claimed he had not only maintained his high notes but had actually gained an additional note in his tenor range.
Despite his success, Hatfield’s career was marked by turbulence. The duo split in 1968, and his subsequent solo efforts, including the 1971 album Messin' in Muscle Shoals, struggled due to poor promotion and financial instability at his label. He and Medley reunited periodically, including a 1974 hit with Rock and Roll Heaven and their 2003 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hatfield died suddenly in November 2003 at age 63, hours before a scheduled concert in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A toxicology report later revealed that cocaine use had triggered a fatal heart attack, exacerbated by significant pre-existing coronary artery disease.
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