Bill Medley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Medley
Medley in 2012 at The Big E, West Springfield, Massachusetts
Background information
Birth name	William Thomas Medley
Born	(1940-09-19) September 19, 1940 (age 84) Santa Ana, California, U.S.
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Blue-eyed soul, pop, country
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Years active	1962–present
Labels	United Artists, RCA, Reprise, Curb

William Thomas Medley (born September 19, 1940) is an American singer. He is most famous as one half of the Righteous Brothers. Bill Medley is known for his deep, powerful voice. You can hear it in songs like "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". He also helped produce many of the duo's hits. These include "Unchained Melody" and "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration".

Bill Medley also has a successful solo career. His duet with Jennifer Warnes, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" (1987), was a huge hit. It sold millions and won many awards. In the 1980s, Medley also had several popular country music songs.

Bill Medley's Early Life

Bill Medley was born on September 19, 1940. His hometown was Santa Ana, California. He went to Santa Ana High School and finished in 1958. Bill sang in his church choir when he was young. His parents even had a swing band! He became interested in R&B music. He listened to radio stations that played music by Black artists. Some of his early music heroes were Little Richard and Ray Charles.

Bill first started a singing group called The Romancers. He formed it with his friend Don Fiduccia. Bill also began writing songs. He even recorded music at home! Later, in 1960, he and Don formed a group called The Paramours. They played their first paid show in Anaheim, California. The Paramours signed with Mercury Records and released some songs in 1961.

The Righteous Brothers Story

The Righteous Brothers performing at Knott's Berry Farm with Medley on the right and Hatfield on the left

Bill Medley met his singing partner, Bobby Hatfield, in 1962. They formed a new group but kept the name The Paramours. They performed at a club in Santa Ana. They released a song called "There She Goes (She's Walking Away)". The band didn't have much success and soon broke up. This left Hatfield and Medley to perform as a duo in 1963.

Medley and Hatfield then called themselves the Righteous Brothers. Their first song was "Little Latin Lupe Lu". Bill Medley also tried singing solo for a short time.

In 1964, the Righteous Brothers performed at a show in San Francisco. Music producer Phil Spector was there. He was very impressed by their singing. Spector then signed them to his record label, Philles Records.

Big Hits and Changes

In 1965, they had their first number one hit song. It was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". This song became incredibly popular. It is one of the most played songs in American radio history!

They recorded other famous songs too, like "Unchained Melody". Bill Medley had produced their music before they signed with Spector. He actually produced many of their songs, even if Spector got the credit. On some songs, like "Unchained Melody", Bobby Hatfield sang solo.

The duo left Spector in 1966. They signed with Verve Records. There, they had another hit with "Soul and Inspiration". But in 1968, they broke up. Bill Medley wanted to try a solo career. He was performing many shows a night in Las Vegas. It was very hard on his voice.

Getting Back Together

Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield reunited in 1974. They signed with Haven Records. They quickly recorded "Rock and Roll Heaven", which became a hit. In 1976, Bill Medley took a break from music. This was after a sad event in his personal life. He reunited with Hatfield again in 1981 for a TV special. They performed "Rock and Roll Heaven" again. Even though Bill focused on his solo career, they still performed together.

In the 1990s, "Unchained Melody" became popular again. This was because it was used in the movie Ghost. The Righteous Brothers then toured a lot. They continued performing until Bobby Hatfield passed away in 2003. The Righteous Brothers were honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Billy Joel introduced them.

In 2016, Bill Medley announced he would bring back the Righteous Brothers. He partnered with a new singer, Bucky Heard. In early 2024, Bill Medley shared that he would retire from touring. This "Lovin' Feelin' Farewell Tour" is his last big tour. He still plans to write and record music. He might even help a new singer continue the Righteous Brothers' legacy.

Bill Medley's Solo Career

Bill Medley has also had a good solo career. In 1968, he recorded "I Can't Make It Alone". Later, "Brown Eyed Woman" and "Peace, Brother, Peace" became top 40 hits. In 1969, he won second place at a music festival in Brazil. He performed "Hey Jude" at the 1969 Grammy Awards. He then signed with A&M Records. One of his songs, "Freedom and Fear", was nominated for a Grammy in 1972.

Bill Medley released several solo albums in the 1970s and 1980s. His career became very popular again in the 1980s. He released the album Sweet Thunder in 1980. It included his version of "Don't Know Much". He signed with RCA Records later. In 1984 and 1985, he had five songs on the country music charts. The biggest was "I Still Do". This song was also popular on adult contemporary charts.

The Time of My Life

In 1987, Bill Medley sang a duet with Jennifer Warnes. The song was "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". It was part of the Dirty Dancing movie soundtrack. The song became number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song won Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes a 1988 Grammy Award. It won for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The composers also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Bill Medley sang other famous songs too. These include "Most of All You" from the movie Major League. He also sang "Friday Night's a Great Night for Football" from the film The Last Boy Scout. He sang the theme song for the TV show Just the 10 of Us. He also worked with Giorgio Moroder. They had a hit in the UK in 1988 with "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother".

In 1985, Medley and Hatfield opened a rock & roll nightclub called The Hop. They opened it in Fountain Valley, California. They later opened another one in Lakewood, California.

Bill Medley appeared on the TV show Cheers. In 1998, he sang "Show Me the Light" with Jennifer Warnes. This song was in the movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie. He also sang on a song called "Lullabye" for Jimmy Chamberlin's solo album.

Recent Music and Life

In the 2000s, Bill Medley performed a lot in Branson, Missouri. He sang at different theaters there. In 2004, he released an album called Your Heart to Mine – Dedicated to the Blues.

In 2007, Medley released a new album. It was his first since Bobby Hatfield passed away in 2003. He later started touring with his daughter, McKenna. She is also a singer. On November 24, 2013, he performed in the UK for the first time.

Bill Medley wrote a book about his life. It is called The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir. The book was published in 2014.

Bill Medley released a new album called Straight from the Heart on February 14, 2025. This album has 12 cover songs by country music artists. The first song from the album was released on October 18, 2024. It is a duet with country singer Vince Gill called "These Days". The album also features duets with other famous artists. Bill Medley made his first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry on February 22, 2025.

Bill Medley's Personal Life

Bill Medley met his first wife, Karen O'Grady, at church. They married early in his music career. Their son, Darrin, was born in 1965. They divorced when Darrin was about five years old. Medley married Suzi Robertson in 1970, and then Janice Gorham. But these marriages ended quickly. He was also a close friend of Elvis Presley.

In January 1976, his first wife, Karen, passed away. Bill Medley decided to take time off from music. He wanted to care for his son. In 2017, investigators used new DNA testing. They identified the person responsible for the crime.

Medley married Paula Vasu in 1986. They had a daughter named McKenna. She is also a singer and has performed with her father. Paula passed away in 2020 from Parkinson's disease. In May 2020, Bill Medley had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his throat.

Awards and Recognitions

Bill Medley has received several awards for his music.

• In 1972, he was nominated for a Grammy Award. This was for his song "Freedom and Fear".
• In 1988, Medley won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. He won this for his duet with Jennifer Warnes, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life".

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Bill Medley para niños