BILL MEDLEY

with Very Special Guest DARLENE LOVE

Saturday, December 28 – 8:00 p.m.

Bill Medley is a seminal figure in the history of American music. He is perhaps best known as half of the unmistakable duo, The Righteous Brothers. Their raw emotional rhythm and blues sound essentially created the genre “blue-eyed soul.” In the mid-1960s, the Righteous Brothers became a fixture on Top Forty radio with hits like You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, Just Once in My Life, Unchained Melody, and (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration, creating an ultra-dramatic take on Sixties pop romance. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Orange County’s Santa Ana, Medley always had a passion for music. His father led a big band and played saxophone and his mother played piano and sang. Naturally, Medley gravitated to glee club and amateur singing contests during his youth, but it wasn’t until he heard the music of Ray Charles and Little Richard that the idea of making music for a living seemed feasible.

On March 10, 2003, The Righteous Brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The induction came just months before Bobby Hatfield’s unexpected death. Medley not only lost his singing partner … he had lost a close friend whom he’d known since his late teens. After a period of mourning, Medley made the decision to continue touring as a solo artist.

Now this year, for the first time since Hatfield’s passing, Bill Medley has gone back into the studio to record an album that not only honors the legacy of their historic partnership, but also reveals the artistry of Medley in his own right. Damn Near Righteous pays tribute to a number of legendary mentors and peers-including Hatfield. The album is comprised of both new material and covers of some unforgettable classics, paying homage to Ray Charles with his own rendition of “Lonely Avenue,” and collaborating with Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys) and Phil Everly (The Everly Brothers) on a soulful version of Wilson’s classic, “In My Room.”

Medley shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, keeping to a rigorous tour schedule so he may share his love of music night after night with all of his loyal fans.

Darlene Love’s background vocals for The Blossoms, The Crystals, The Righteous Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Marvin Gaye, and Elvis Presley (to name but a few) set the stage for her emergence as a star in her own right. Her Billboard hits include: He’s A Rebel, The Boy I’m Gonna Marry, Da Doo Ron Ron, Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home, He’s Sure the Boy I Love and the #1 holiday classic Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), a song that she performs annually with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Symphony Orchestra on The Late Show With David Letterman (December marks her 27th appearance).

In 2011, Darlene Love received her industry’s highest award when Better Midler, a great fan of her work, inducted her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During the celebration, the two ladies enjoyed performing “He’s A Rebel” together. As part of the festivities, Darlene also sang “He’s A Fine, Fine Boy” backed by another distinguished fan, Bruce Springsteen.

Rolling Stone Magazine has proclaimed Darlene Love to be “one of the greatest singers of all time” and that certainly rings true, but perhaps Paul Shaffer says it even more concisely: “Darlene Love is Rock N’ Roll!”

http://www.foxriversidelive.com/shows/medley.html

3801 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, CA, 92501

951-779-9800