Righteous Brothers

Luis Pena Longtime Newport Beach resident Jeri Lofland fondly remembers her departed friend Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers. Lofland had a yard sale one summer day in Dover Shores during the early 1970s, and one of the many people who attended was a man in his 30s by the name of Bobby Hatfield. After the yard sale was long over, he kept coming to her house. Lofland and Hatfield hit it off, and a friendship between them developed. They both had many things in common, she said: they had the same friends and were both members of the Balboa Bay Club.

Earth Day kicks off early in Newport-Mesa Mother Nature gave herself an early Earth Day present Saturday, treating her plants, shrubs and creatures to an April shower while many gathered to promote a healthy and clean environment. Earth Day is officially observed on Thursday; however, local events were held this weekend, such as the event on the UC Irvine Campus. The celebration at UCI included dozens of nonprofit organizations, display booths and interactive activities to promote awareness of environmental protection.

Young Chang Little known Righteous Brothers facts: "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" is the most played record in the history of American radio. Bill Medley, one-half of the Righteous duo, finds this "mind boggling." The pair's first public performance was at the Rendezvous Ballroom on the Balboa Peninsula in the summer of 1962. Surf bands were really big here back then. Medley and the other Righteous half, Bobby Hatfield, both live in Newport Beach.

Deepa Bharath Righteous Brother Bobby Hatfield died from a lethal combination of cocaine use, alcohol and heart problems, an autopsy report released on Monday showed. Hatfield, a longtime Newport Beach resident who formed the Righteous Brothers with Bill Medley in 1962, was found dead on Nov. 5 in his hotel room in Kalamazoo, Mich., about half an hour before a concert. Officials initially said he died of a heart attack and passed away in his sleep, but an autopsy report complete with toxicology results released by the Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner's Office revealed the cause of death as "acute cocaine toxicity."

B.W. COOK Newport Beach celeb Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers hosted an all-volunteer charity golf classic last week at Newport Beach County Club -- benefiting the Lupus Foundation of America, Southern California Chapter. Some 171 golfers joined Hatfield and his partner, Bill Medley, the other half of the Righteous Brothers, who rose to international fame in the 1960s with an individual sound of folk/rock/blues. Both Hatfield and Medley are active in Newport-Mesa social/charitable circles, often stepping up to the plate to help a variety of causes.

Alex Coolman When Bill Medley was first making a name for himself as one of The Righteous Brothers, he proved that music had a power to surprise people, shaking up their expectations about what was normal and acceptable. In his case, that meant singing rhythm and blues tunes in a style that, at first, seemed too "black" for white radio. More than three decades later, it's Medley's daughter who is a budding player, and Medley's learning all over again about the power of music to take people in unexpected directions.

An article appearing in Saturday's Daily Pilot should have noted that Carole Biloki and other members of the benefit committee participated in compiling the roster of chefs for the "Great Chefs of Orange County" event planned for Oct. 17 at the Sutton Hotel. The event will benefit the National Kidney Foundation. Also, a concert featuring Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers on Dec. 8 is being organized by and will benefit the Ensign Fund of the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation.

Linda lost her long, hard-fought battle with cancer and lupus on Saturday, May 8, 2010. She was surrounded by her beloved son, Dustin, and her cherished daughter, Vallyn, her mother, Coni, and many other friends and family at Hoag Hospital. Linda was born in Berwyn, IL and spent her childhood in Riverside, IL. In her early twenties, she found the love of her life and moved to CA to be with Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers.

"They want what they want, and they're going to get what they want." -- John Fitzgerald, a salesman with Connell Chevrolet, said regarding car buyers and their lack of concern in paying a few hundred more dollars in sales tax when shopping for a new car. "Most of these rapes are not stranger rapes. It's not some guy jumping up from behind the bushes. Most of them are acquaintance rapes, and many of them involve alcohol and possibly date-rape drugs."

COSTA MESA — The Rock 'N' Roll King of Orange County wants the world to know that after 50 years of alcohol and cigarettes, 10 years of cocaine, five wives, three heart surgeries and a fight with cancer, he's still rocking. Greg Topper, the man who may be O.C.'s longest-running resident musician, is set to start a new gig Saturday at the Pierce Street Annex in Costa Mesa. His mix of more than 500 1950s, '60s and '70s oldies has packed dance floors since the Bay of Pigs invasion 49 years ago. "If I can make it to 2011, I would have played half of a century in Orange County," Topper said.

Linda lost her long, hard-fought battle with cancer and lupus on Saturday, May 8, 2010. She was surrounded by her beloved son, Dustin, and her cherished daughter, Vallyn, her mother, Coni, and many other friends and family at Hoag Hospital. Linda was born in Berwyn, IL and spent her childhood in Riverside, IL. In her early twenties, she found the love of her life and moved to CA to be with Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers.

David Vobora is possibly a future American Idol contestant if he continues to sing. Also, a role in the show RENO 911! is promising with his new mustache. More importantly for Vobora, he’s getting closer to playing with the St. Louis Rams. Vobora, the last player chosen in the NFL Draft, has earned the Western Athletic Conference Stan Bates Award, the conference’s highest academic honor named after the former commissioner. Vobora, a communications and psychology major, becomes the second player from the University of Idaho to receive the award.

This year's Orange County Fair theme, Flower Power, isn't merely a novelty. In fact, it hearkens to a time in the fair's own lengthy history. The fair was alive with authentic flower power, hippies and rainbows of tie-dye as it saw the end of the 1960s and greeted the 1970s. As Orange County Fair CEO Becky Bailey-Findley recalls, the 1970s brought about important marketing changes for the fair. "Starting around the '70s was when you saw lots of new entertainment ? whether community or traveling entertainment ?

Earth Day kicks off early in Newport-Mesa Mother Nature gave herself an early Earth Day present Saturday, treating her plants, shrubs and creatures to an April shower while many gathered to promote a healthy and clean environment. Earth Day is officially observed on Thursday; however, local events were held this weekend, such as the event on the UC Irvine Campus. The celebration at UCI included dozens of nonprofit organizations, display booths and interactive activities to promote awareness of environmental protection.

Deepa Bharath Righteous Brother Bobby Hatfield died from a lethal combination of cocaine use, alcohol and heart problems, an autopsy report released on Monday showed. Hatfield, a longtime Newport Beach resident who formed the Righteous Brothers with Bill Medley in 1962, was found dead on Nov. 5 in his hotel room in Kalamazoo, Mich., about half an hour before a concert. Officials initially said he died of a heart attack and passed away in his sleep, but an autopsy report complete with toxicology results released by the Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner's Office revealed the cause of death as "acute cocaine toxicity."

"They want what they want, and they're going to get what they want." -- John Fitzgerald, a salesman with Connell Chevrolet, said regarding car buyers and their lack of concern in paying a few hundred more dollars in sales tax when shopping for a new car. "Most of these rapes are not stranger rapes. It's not some guy jumping up from behind the bushes. Most of them are acquaintance rapes, and many of them involve alcohol and possibly date-rape drugs."

Luis Pena Longtime Newport Beach resident Jeri Lofland fondly remembers her departed friend Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers. Lofland had a yard sale one summer day in Dover Shores during the early 1970s, and one of the many people who attended was a man in his 30s by the name of Bobby Hatfield. After the yard sale was long over, he kept coming to her house. Lofland and Hatfield hit it off, and a friendship between them developed. They both had many things in common, she said: they had the same friends and were both members of the Balboa Bay Club.

Deepa Bharath The many worlds that Bobby Hatfield inhabited for the last 63 years fused into one Tuesday afternoon. Family members, friends and hundreds of fans jammed Mariner's Church to celebrate the life of the man who was musician, husband, father, friend and practical joker rolled in one. Hatfield, who along with his partner Bill Medley and their band, the Righteous Brothers, pioneered what has been hailed as...