Bucky Heard goes solo, but remains Righteous

Bucky Heard answered the call to serve as Bill Medley’s “wingman” for a few months at Harrah’s in 2016. It was expected the duo would perform a limited engagement. After that, anything was possible, including the end of the Righteous Brothers.

“If it didn’t work with Bucky, that might have been it for me,” Medley says. “I wasn’t planning anything specific for the future of the Righteous Brothers at the time. But if me and Bucky didn’t work out, I wouldn’t have taken on another partner.”

It has worked out. Heard and Medley return to their current Vegas home, South Point Showroom, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The act usually sells out. Some 60 years after hitting breaking through with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the 82-year-old Medley is still packing a Vegas showroom.

“I was just hoping to be there for as long as he was willing to go at it,” Heard says. “I just felt, if I could bring I could bring some new life into him on stage, I would be happy.

The respective singers have developed a shared gratitude. Heard continues shine inside the Righteous Brothers brand as his primary career. Medley has lent his time and legendary studio acumen to Heard’s latest project.

“Through The Years” is that release, a collection of rock ‘n’ roll classics and a pair of crisp Heard originals. Medley produced the album, sang background, and developed the vocal and string arrangements.

”I really just wanted Bill to do this, I love him as a brother and we’ve developed such a tight kinship over the years we’ve been doing this show,” Heard said. “And he is incredible to work with. He can hear a fully produced album in his head before we even start working in the studio.”

Having made an album or two (or, 28, specifically), Medley knows producing is hard work.

“I don’t think Bucky realized how hard it really is,” he said with a laugh. “It is a lot.”

Heard is a trained vocalist capable of musical-theater numbers, opera (“Nessun Dorma” is a highlight of “Through The Years”) and rock classics. “Open Arms” is on this album; Elvis’ “If I Can Dream” closes the show.

Medley had met Heard when Heard was performing in Branson, Mo., in such productions as a Blues Brothers tribute act and a Journey-themed production.

Heard asked Medley to check out the Journey show. Medley was impressed at Heard’s range (covering Steve Perry in a live show is no joke), and besides, “I just liked Bucky so much.”

Heard has become a popular figure in the Vegas entertainment community since the Righteous Brothers have buttressed their residency show. Members of Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns play on the new album, alongside ace players John Wedemeyer on guitar, Jess Gopen on drums and Walter Jones and Brahm Sheray on bass. Accomplished Vegas vocalists Michelle Johnson, Christine Shebeck and Tony Davich are among the background singers. So is Medley’s daughter, McKenna.

“Bill’s family is family to us,” Heard says. “For him to agree to do this for me is amazing. I’m thrilled he has been there to document this very special special time in my life.”

Grimm’s saga

On the topic of Medley and those he’s inspired, Michael Grimm checks in with news on multiple fronts.

The Las Vegas singer/songwriter is recovering well in after-care after returning from a medical and health/wellness facility in Utah. “Every day I’m feeling better and better,” he said Thursday, alongside his wife, Lucie Grimm, in an Instagram Post.

Grimm is returning to the stage Aug. 9 at Myron’s for a Righteous Brothers-Medley tribute.

As Grimm rehabs, his official Facebook page MichaelGrimmMusic has been hacked. Neither he nor Lucie have access to the page developed a dozen years ago when Grimm was winning Season 5 of “America’s Got Talent.” That page had amassed nearly 200,000 followers, at its peak.

The Grimms are building a new page. Use michaelgrimmmusic2 for him now. The hacker who is operating the old page has been privately messaging thousands of Grimm’s followers, impersonating the singer-songwriter and asking for money.

“This has been terrible,” Lucie Grimm says. “We are hoping the 200,000 fans will migrate to the new platform, but it will take time. This was set up almost 12 years ago to the month. We didn’t build it overnight.”

Meantime, the Grimms are seeking legal assistance from anyone with experience in online-hacking issues. It’s just the latest development in an extraordinarily trying time for the family.

Great Moments in Social Media

The Beverly Theater Creative Director and Chief Experience Officer Kip Kelly posted a photo on Twitter (er, X) Saturday of him holding a melted Prince “Irresistible Bitch” album. His message, “Vegas vinyl,” indicated the album had been left in the sun in about 115 degree heat.

“We keep records up at Seque,” Kelly explained, referring to The Beverly’s top-level terrace. “This one was accidentally left out during the day … Sadly, my favorite of the lot.”

Time, it flies

Buddy Valastro’s Buddy V’s Ristorante at Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian celebrates its 10th anniversary next month. The invite-only, 10th-anny party Aug. 3 will be filmed for “Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty” to air this fall on A&E.

Cool Hang Alert

Bourbon Street Lounge at the Orleans, an underrated live-music haunt, bubbles over with Roxy Stardust at 9 p.m. Friday, and In-A-Fect at 9 p.m. Saturday. Roxy Stardust never made it out of the ’80s, and that’s OK, with a rotation of radio pop and new-wave hits. In-A-Fect dates to 2007, led by Larry White, former music director for The Whispers and Bobby Brown. No cover, gotta be 21 or over.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.