“It’s a Pretty Simple Answer”: Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley on Why Touring With the Rolling Stones Topped Touring With the Beatles

Bill Medley isn’t playing coy about which iconic tour was more fun to be a part of.

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In an interview with Billboard, Medley singer revealed if he had a better time opening for The Rolling Stones or The Beatles. Medley and his Righteous Brothers counterpart, Bobby Hatfield, opened for both bands in 1964.

The Righteous Brothers accompanied The Beatles on their North American tour, the first-ever shows that included the US. Later that year, the duo supported The Rolling Stones on their second American tour.

“It’s a pretty simple answer. The Beatles, when we opened for them, it was the first American Beatles tour—and the kids were just screaming and crying, yelling out, ‘John, John, Ringo!’ Whatever,” Medley recalled. “A lot of times when we were on, they’d be clapping and screaming, ‘We want The Beatles!’”

In contrast, when The Righteous Brothers got The Rolling Stones gig, the second band “hadn’t really made it yet.”

“I think the next weekend after we worked with them, they became huge,” Medley said. “So that was at least more musical, opening for them, so that was really more fun. But being with The Beatles was, obviously, more historic.”

The Righteous Brothers Today

After supporting both of the bands, The Righteous Brothers continued as a duo until Hatfield’s 2003 death. Their hits included “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” “Just Once in My Life,” and “Unchained Melody.” In 2016, Medley re-formed The Righteous Brothers with Bucky Heard. Today, the men continue to perform together.

Medley, 84, is also still hard at work on his solo career. On Feb. 21, he’s set to release Straight From the Heart, a collection of country songs that pairs Medley with artists including Vince Gill and Michael McDonald.

“[Producer] Fred [Mollin] and I have been friends for quite a while, and we’ve been talking about doing this album,” Medley said. “We started out to do kind of a small album, and then my manager called Mike Curb, and… it went from the small album to kind of this important album.”

“I’m not a country singer—but I love country blues songs,” he added. “… This was the most comfortable, easiest, rewarding album I’ve ever done. Working with those Nashville musicians was just such an honor, but, boy, just so easy and so good. I love the album and if something happens with it, that would be wonderful.”

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