Died On This Date (November 5, 2003) Bobby Hatfield / The Righteous Brothers
themusicsover Bobby Hatfield
August 10, 1940 – November 5, 2003
Bobby Hatfield was an American singer who gained fame as one half of the popular singing duo, the Righteous Brothers. He met fellow singer, Bill Medley while in college and together they began performing in the early ’60s. Their brand of “blue-eyed” soul was an immediate hit, landing them on the charts with such records as “Little Latin Lupe Lu,” “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” and of course, “Unchained Melody” which would enjoy a second life on the charts when it was featured in the 1990 film, Ghost. The duo broke up in 1968, but reformed to release one more hit single, 1974’s “Rock and Roll Heaven.” The Righteous Brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2003, and that was as good a reason as any to hit the road again. Six months later, while in Michigan for a show, Bobby Hatfield, 63, was found dead in his hotel room just prior to showtime. He had died of a heart attack brought on my the use of cocaine.
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George M. Cohan was a popular songwriter, composer, producer, singer and actor who was one of the biggest draws on Broadway during the ’40s. Cohan took to entertaining early, performing as a dancer in family productions along the Vaudeville circuit. He began writing and selling songs at the turn of the century, his first hit being “Give My Regards to Broadway.” He became one of the most prolific writers in what became to be known as Tin Pan Alley in New York City. Some estimates put his output at as many as 1500 songs. During that time he also produced many popular Broadway shows. During the ’30s, Cohan turned his sights on film and began appearing in popular movies of the day. And they were just song-and-dance roles, but serious drama parts. In 1942, Yankee Doodle Dandy, a musical adaptation of his life was released. Playing Cohan in the film was James Cagney, who one the Best Actor Academy Award that year. On November 5, 1942, George M. Cohan died of cancer at the age of 64.
Robert Lee McCollum was a blues guitarist who for some reason changed his name at least twice during his music career. During the mid ’30s, he went by Robert Lee McCoy and landed in St. Louis where he played and recorded with 