Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Righteous Brothers perform at Sands Bethlehem Event Center on July 8
From a press release:
Coming straight from Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, it has been announced that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo the Righteous Brothers, best known for hits like “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” and “Unchained Melody,” will perform at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m.
Tickets, which are $29.50, $39.50, and $49.50, plus applicable fees, go on sale this Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at sandseventcenter.com, the Event Center box office (77 Sands Blvd., Bethlehem), ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone at 800-745-3000.
With a string of No. 1 classics, including the most played song in radio history, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield topped the charts in four decades. After Hatfield’s death in 2003, Bill Medley continued to perform to sold-out crowds around the world, but fans and friends pleaded with him to keep the Righteous Brothers alive. Says Medley, “No one could ever take Bobby’s place, but when I caught Bucky Heard’s show, it all came together – I found the right guy to help me recreate the magic.”
That original “blue-eyed soul” is are back and better than ever in a concert experience that features musical hits that have spanned generations, including “Unchained Melody” (featured in the movie, “Ghost”), “Soul and Inspiration,” “Rock and Roll Heaven,” the Grammy-winning “Time of My Life” (featured in the movie “Dirty Dancing”) and, of course, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” (featured in the movie “Top Gun”).
The Bill Medley/Bucky Heard pairing came as something of a happy accident. Medley says it just seemed right. “I’d been friends with Bucky for years, but when I caught his show, he just killed me! The next day, it hit me – that’s the guy, someone I could sing hard with, laugh hard with, love and respect – on and off stage. He fits the Righteous Brothers live performance show perfectly. And, we’ve even recorded some new material together. I’m really excited!”
Medley is truly one of the iconic figures in American music history. His instantly recognizable baritone voice has anchored some of the biggest recordings of all time. He’s won a Grammy, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and an American Music Award. The Orange County, California native began writing songs as a boy and had his breakout as a songwriter and singer when, in 1963, the Medley-penned “Little Latin Lupe Lu” became a regional hit for him and Hatfield as their first release as the Righteous Brothers.
Other regional hits followed – “Justine,” “Koko Joe,” and “My Babe” – which led to a regular spot on ABC-TV’s national “Shindig” broadcast. The show, featuring a cast of regulars along with guest stars every week, catered to the teen audience, something new for TV at that time. “Shindig’s” smash success coincided with the Righteous Brothers opening for both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones on their first U.S. tours.
Soon, the Righteous Brothers caught producer Phil Spector’s attention, and he signed them to record what would become, according to BMI, the most played song in the history of American radio – the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil classic “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” A string of top hits followed until 1968, when Medley and Hatfield agreed to part ways to pursue solo efforts. Medley soon scored with Top 10 hits “Peace, Brother, Peace” and “Brown-Eyed Woman.” In 1974, they reunited and, within a few weeks, had yet another monster hit with “Rock and Roll Heaven.”
From then, until Hatfield’s passing, the Righteous Brothers never stopped performing to packed crowds. During that period, Medley also recorded the chart-topping duet with Jennifer Warnes, “The Time of My Life,” for the movie “Dirty Dancing.” It went on to sell over 32 million copies worldwide. Then, shortly before Hatfield passed away in 2003, Righteous Brothers fan Billy Joel inducted the pair into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a glowing seven-minute speech.
Always active and stretching his creative talents, Medley has also sung on the soundtracks or performed the theme songs for 33 movies and TV shows and, in 2014, released his memoir, “The Time of My Life,” published by Da Capo Press.
Bucky Heard is an Alabama native and Auburn University alum. He’s been one of the most popular and versatile performers in America for several years, headlining countless shows in major venues. His reputation as a gutsy rock and roll singer with an incredible vocal range has garnered much critical praise and a legion of fans. He’s been hand-selected to share the concert stage with legends like Andy Williams and Glen Campbell and honored as “Male Vocalist of the Year” by entertainment publications. Credited with being one of the hardest-working and in-demand performers, Heard has rocked his way across America with his 10-piece horn band and also starred in numerous national production shows.
Multi-talented and always seeking to expand his musical horizons, he recently created, wrote, and produced an original children’s musical variety show called “Rock U Mentally,” which headlined the American Bandstand Theatre for two consecutive summers.
Heard says teaming with Bill Medley in The Righteous Brothers has been a wonderful gift.
“Performing with Bill Medley is like getting your Ph.D. in show business! He is more than a legend; he puts everything into every performance and really understands how to connect with an audience. He motivates me to be my best, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity!”
Currently enjoying an extended run at Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, the Righteous Brothers’ show transports you back in time for a classic, old school experience you will never forget.
