Encounters with the Brothers
From Alan O'Day, co-songwriter of "Rock and Roll Heaven":
I first met the Brothers Righteous in the early 60's. I was with an L.A. band called "Arch Hall Jr. & the Archers", & we backed the RB for their appearance at a nightclub in the San Fernando Valley. I met them again in San Francisco in the late '60's. I was playing with a show trio at the Galaxy ("Home of the Swim!"), just another poor struggling musician. But a friend invited the Bros to his apartment & I got to visit with them. I was so excited! So it was a wonderful "capper" to this story when they decided to do "Rock & Roll Heaven" in the early 70's. I was told it resurrected their career, & I was very proud. I remember sitting at the Greek theatre for their live appearance, hearing them start the song, jumping up & yelling at the strangers next to me, "I wrote that!"
From Carol Slilaty, fan:
Two years ago in Atlantic City, I had an opportunity to meet Bill and Bobby following a concert at Caesars Palace. A group of friends and I went to the lounge following the concert. While waiting for a seat, I noticed that Bill and Bobby were also there. They were listening to a singer who was a friend of theirs. We started talking to Bobby and asked if he would like to join us. To our surprise, he did. For the next hour, we sat and talked to Bobby. He was friendly, talkative and most of all really funny. He was so warm and friendly, not at all showy. It was like talking to any regular guy. He signed autographs and allowed us to take pictures. He said that he missed touring the small towns like they used to. He remembers all the places he's been to. He wanted to know what we thought of the concert and if they sounded ok.
We also spent a few minutes with Bill who was also friendly and signed autographs.
Needless to say we had a great night.
From Patti Patane, fan:
...{T}he first time I got to meet them in '93. They we're @ The Grand which is the Hilton now. The first nite a Fri I sent Bill some flowers with a little note in it, saying I would be wearing a RB tee that nite. On stage which I usually try to sit on his side he zeroed in on me and Thank me for the flowers not to the whole audience. On Sat I was really determined, so I sent them both Balloons dumb huh but it worked. Sat nited show when Bobby came out to do his Unchained he said he wanted to dedicate it to Patti who sent the Balloons. B4 show out in line I had been chatting with people and mentioned what I did, so when he said on stage where is she sitting they said over there and I kinda gave a little finger wave. I tell you I was thrilled to death! On Sunday nite b4 show the maitre d's who sit you of course I had seen me first in line every nite so I would chat with them and I mentioned to her that do you think I could meet them after the show she told me when show was over come over to her she stood near stage door and she would ask them. As the show ended that nite Bobby walked over to where I was sitting which was right against the stage on Bill's side of course and bent down and kiss me. I almost passed out, so I made my way over to maitre 'd and she went up dressing rm and came down and said they will see you in about 15 mins. I was floating she brought me up stairs to hallway out side of dressing rm which they both had their own names were on doors and then Bobby came out of his and seen me and gives a hug and chats a minute then Bill comes out and invites me in and I sit down on sofa and he sits in front of me and starts chatting (I couldn't believe I was in there) then I asked him if I could take a picture and he goes gets Bobby and says they want me in picture between them Tim came in and took it. I guess I was there about 20 mins and then left, ran back up to my room called husband was so excited, went back down to casino and locked myself out of room, that was my first encounter. I couldn't wait to get home to have pictures developed and if it didn't come out I would have killed myself! but it did and its fabulous.
From Julie the RB Lady:
My friends and I attended the Brothers' performance at the Trump Taj Mahal on Saturday, August 19, 2000. Back in April, I sent one of the band members copies of the Sacramento 1965 concert pictures (which have been displayed on this site) for Bill and for Bobby to have. After the concert, we briefly encountered Bill. I told Bill about our website and what it was about. I also asked Bill if he had received the pictures. Bill told me that he received them and thought they were cute. It was a pleasant, brief encounter. Hopefully, Bill and Bobby have had a chance to visit this site. I feel that they will not be disappointed or embarrassed by what they see.
From Joy Beacham, fan:
My daughter and I were on our way to the Righteous Brothers concert at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt Pleasant, Michigan, on March 9th. We were talking about the Righteous Brothers and I mentioned that, I would faint if I ever got to meet them. That statement was not far from the truth. After the concert, I was waiting for my daughter by the door. She walked up to me and asked if I would like to meet the Righteous Brothers. I thought she was joking, at first. Then she showed me 2 backstage tickets. Someone associated with the Casino had come up to her and asked if she would like to me the Righteous Brothers. She said, my mom sure would. We were backstage with another couple. I was in total shock. Bill came out of his dressing room and we introduced ourselves. Like a dummy all I could say was "Oh my God, I don't beleive this". My knees were shaking, I felt weak, I was awestruck to be in the presence of such greatness. Bill asked me if I wanted to sit down. He was afraid that I was going to faint. We all talked for a few minutes. Bobby came out of his dressing room and Bill introduced us as part of his family. I'm still saying "Oh my God, I don't beleive this". The whole thing was over so fast, they had to leave, but before they left, Bill gave me a hug good-bye. He is so nice, I never wanted to wash the side of my face again. Before we left, the entertainment manager of the Casino, gave us a 6 foot poster of them and even carried it out to the car, to keep it safe. I have it hanging in my room to remind me of the night I had the time of my life.
From Stephen C. Propes, fan:
My wife, who graduated from Anaheim High School was a classmate of Bobby's brother Butch (who sadly died of AIDS) and Bobby was in the class just ahead. I clearly remember Bobby at Long Beach State who pledged the SAE fraternity - but never joined because his grades never allowed it - finally dropping out. Performance-wise, there was what was known in the early 60s as a "wet tee shirt" bar called the Bayou on PCH in Seal Beach, just a few miles from Long Beach State. I had just started collecting records and was a big fan of rock & roll, beer and girls in wet tee shirts. I also recalled that the Bayou was rowdy...getting into a fight with a Marine or general thug was no problem at all. At least once, Bobby & Bill jumped up on the stage and went through some pretty great songs. Which ones? Wish I could say.
From Paul "Butch" Gibson, Sax Player for Sam the Sham and the
Pharoahs (of "Wooly Bully" Fame)
We traveled with The Righteous Brothers on the Dick Clark Calvacade of Stars from LA to Seattle.
They were great guys. We even went to hear them at a local gig in Seal Beach after our tour.
Their music is classic.
In the summer of 1960 Bob Hatfield and I were in the US Naval Reserve at NAS
Los Alamitos in Southern California. Part of that summer training program
was on the USS Kearsage, an anti-submarine aircraft carrier. Bob and I
worked on the flight line and were aircrew trainees in the S2F Tracker
sub-killer airplane. I wasn't all that glamorous.
While cleaning a barracks restroom, I was softly singing the old Gospel
tune, "Joshua fit the Battle of Jehrico" when a second voice began singing
perfect harmony to my melody. It was Bob. We became rather good friends
during that summer, and when I told him I was going to join the Marines to
complete my military obligation, he told me that he thought he might become
a professional baseball player or maybe a professional singer with the name
Bobby Lee.
I think he made the right choice.
Bob was always good natured and kind to others and often made up marching
cadences about some of us. I saw him again in the late 1980's at a local
concert for the City of Santa Fe Springs, and he was not too big a star to
share a few old memories with me.
There were many young men of about 19 or 20 who served that summer with Bob
and I'm sure there are a lot of stories out there about him.
From Perry Botkin, Jr.-Arranger of "Ebb Tide" Session:
I dont' remember much about the Ebb Tide date except that it was at United Recorders in Hollywood with Phil Spector producing. I remember being surprised that Bobby was doing a solo. I had never heard him as a soloist. Wow! did he sound great. Both those guys sounded wonderful alone but, obviously, had a great blend together. I split the session with Jack N. I don't remember the name of the tune he arranged but Phil asked me to conduct both tunes which I gladly did.It was fun conducting Jack's arrangement. He had an interesting writing technique. He put the stems on the wrong side of the notes and his scores sort of looked like midevil plainsong. His chart, however,sounded perfect. He was really the right guy for Phil's "Wall of Sound". I believe this session was one of the first that Phil did outside of Gold Star Recorders. was wondering if he could do the "Wall" without that wonderful echo chamber at Gold Star. Well, obviously, he could. . . and did. The session was recorded live. Strings, horns, and rhythm all together at the same time. As most of the stuff I was doing was usually rhythm first then overdubs of the orchestra, it was extra special doing everything together.
From Ann Goodman, Childhood Friend of Bill Medley:
My maiden name was Karen Davis. I lived about 8 houses from
Bill. I used
to go over to his house and help with his pigeons, and of course we played
kick the can and just hung out. Then when Bill & Bobby were a hit and
singing at the local bars the lines were so long I never got to see them
perform. Then I moved to Seattle, WA. He came there a couple of times but
I wasn't able to see him. I did talk on the phone with him. Finally in
1991,
I went to Reno to HOT AUGUST NIGHTS and they were there. I finally
got to see them perform. I also knew what hotel he was at. We went over
there and he met us in the lobby. My husband video taped us, it was great.
And now 10 years later again I got to see them perform in Oroville and was
on the guest list to visit after. He is so awesome. My dad is 94 yrs and
whenever he sees any articles on the Righteous Brothers, he cuts
them out and saves them for me.
From Nanci Rogers, Fan:
The first time I saw them was in Washington DC in
September 1967.
Since then they have been many times to Columbus at the Palace Theatre, The
Ohio Theatre and at the Columbus Rhythm and Zoo. They sell out very
quickly here.
They always have a crowd of fans waiting for them after the show. Last
October we gave them Ohio State golf shirts so that they will not forget
the Ohio 4 who go everywhere within 400 miles to see them. And if they are
farther such as Las Vegas we hop on a plane.
Last year when we were in Las Vegas we had perfect front row seats. After
the show was over they went to each side of the stage and bowed to the
fans. When they got to our side somehow I caught Bill's eye ( he is my
favorite) (though I love them both) and he gave me quite a look. The lady
in the row behind me thought that that probably would make my day. Boy was
she wrong!!! It made my year!!!!! I was very, very, flattered.
After the show Bill came out to greet the fans that were there.
Unfortunately Bobby did not come out and visit. But it was nice to see
Bill and he was very gracious and answered questions, and had a lot of
pictures taken.
The night before we left Vegas to come home we went back to The Orleans one
more time to gamble and hope to catch a glimpse of Bill again after the
show. I spoke to a couple who had just gotten engaged and they were
celebrating by attending the show. It was fun and the lady was swooning
(seriously) when Bill came out and had pictures taken with both of them.
He is such a gentleman and talked quite a while with them. I just sat and
took it all in and then it was my turn.
I told him that we would see them in October in Columbus and as he turned
to leave I got one more picture and he blew me a kiss. It was like I was
15 all over again.
We did see them in October as I said and he remembered me. That is my
story.