Hatfield of Righteous Brothers Dies at 63

The Associated Press

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Bobby Hatfield, who with partner Bill Medley pioneered "blue-eyed soul" as the Righteous Brothers with hits like "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," died Wednesday night of undetermined causes at a hotel, his manager said. He was 63.

Hatfield's body was discovered in his bed at 7 p.m. EDT, a half-hour before he and Medley were to perform at Miller Auditorium on the Western Michigan University campus, manager David Cohen said.

"It's a shock, a real shock," Cohen said during a telephone interview. Medley, who teamed with Hatfield 42 years ago, was "broken up. He's not even coherent," Cohen said.

Hatfield's body was taken from the hotel about 10 p.m. directly to Lansing, where an autopsy was to be performed, Joe Hakim, an executive with the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo, told the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Oh my, that's terrible news. So young.

What a year this has been. ohno:

R.I.P. :(

Oh no... :(

:( RIP Bobby

Noooooo not another one! :( So many great celebrities have passed away this year. I wonder if next year is going to be any worse? :eek:


RIP. :(

Oh that's so sad. :( And it happened right by where I am - jeez, I feel sorry for all the people at Western that were going to see him, and then got this news.

What a year...

:( That's sad, I like some of their music.

RIP :(

That's really sad. They were my mom's favorite singers. I bought her tickets last year to see them for her birthday. I liked Bobby. He was really funny. He will be missed by many people.

I am a big Righteous Brothers fan. I didn't live through their music, but I have become a fan thanks to oldies stations. Bobby was a great and talented singer who will be missed.

I'm going to miss the Righteous brothers singing together again. How sad..... :(

This is so sad :(, RIP Bobby

On the news this morning they said he died of a heart attack.:(
And yes, I agree that this has been a terrible year as far as celebrity deaths go.:eek:

The Righteous Brothers as I remember them. Bobby is on the right.

Bobby was amusing at the concert. At one point he said something about talking to Julia Roberts on the phone earlier that day, and that he loves her. Then before singing one of their songs, he's like, "This one is for you Julia!"

I read it in the Daily Freeman today as well as I saw it on the news last night that he died of a heart attack. I missed that poor Righteous Brother. Bill Medley is the only person he had left. They sang songs like "You're My Soul and Inspiration", "Rock & Roll Heaven", "Unchained Melody" and "Ebb Tide". I heard all of the Righteous Brothers songs on the radio. Does anybody remember that movie "Top Gun" where Tom Cruise and the guys are singing "You've Lost That Loving Feelin'"? Click here! (http://arose4ever.com/karen/sounds/youvlost.wav)

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040106/D7VTDHQG0.html

Hatfield's Death Said Caused by Cocaine

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - Righteous Brothers singer Bobby Hatfield's death in November was caused by cocaine and not just heart failure, according to the official autopsy report.

Dr. Richard Tooker, chief medical examiner for Kalamazoo County, told the Kalamazoo Gazette in Tuesday's editions that Hatfield's death was triggered by acute cocaine intoxication.

Hatfield, 63, died Nov. 5 just hours before a Righteous Brothers concert. He and his partner, Bill Medley, had hits like "Unchained Melody," and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling."

"This is a shock to me," Medley told The Orange County (Calif.) Register from his Newport Beach, Calif., home. "I never saw him (use cocaine). I knew absolutely nothing about it. If I had known, I would have said something to him."

An initial autopsy found Hatfield had advanced coronary disease. A heart attack due to the disease was listed on Hatfield's death certificate.

However, Tooker said a final cause of death was not determined until after toxicology reports were completed. The death certificate will be changed to reflect cocaine as the cause of death, he said.

Tooker's office received the report of cocaine intoxication on Dec. 24, but he asked for the information to be released after the holidays out of respect to Hatfield's family.

Messages left Tuesday with Tooker and the William Morris Agency, which represents the Righteous Brothers, were not returned.