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The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. They were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and the 1970s. The group sang recognisable three-part tight harmonies: Robin's clear vibrato lead vocals were a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the mid-to-late 1970s and 1980s. The group wrote all their own original material, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists, and are regarded as one of the most important and influential acts in pop-music history. They have been referred to in the media as The Disco Kings, Britain's First Family of Harmony, and The Kings of Dance Music.[3][4][5][6] The group was officially a trio of the brothers for most of their history, with Vince Melouney and Colin Petersen also being official members during the late 1960s, and Geoff Bridgford being an official member during the early 1970s. Although never a member of the Bee Gees, the youngest Gibb brother, Andy, achieved several hits as a solo artist during the 1970s. Born on the Isle of Man to English parents, the Gibb brothers lived in Chorlton, Manchester, England, until the late 1950s. There, in 1955, they formed the skiffle/rock and roll group the Rattlesnakes. The family then moved to Redcliffe, in Queensland, Australia, and later to Cribb Island. After achieving their first chart successes in Australia as the Bee Gees, they returned to the UK in January 1967, when producer Robert Stigwood began promoting them to a worldwide audience. The group achieved several hit singles and albums in the UK and US during 1967–1976, with the 1975 album Main Course seeing the group move towards an R&B-based disco sound. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977) marked a turning point of their career, with both the film and soundtrack having a cultural impact throughout the world, enhancing the disco scene's mainstream appeal. They won five Grammy Awards for Saturday Night Fever, including Album of the Year. After another successful album, Spirits Having Flown (1979), the group's popularity declined in the early 1980s, though they experienced a commercial comeback in the UK starting in the late 1980s. The Bee Gees have sold an estimated 120 million to 250 million records worldwide, placing them among the best-selling music artists of all time, as well as the most successful trio in the history of contemporary music.[12] They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997;[13] the Hall's citation stating at the time, "Only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees."[14] With nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the Bee Gees are the third-most successful band in Billboard charts history behind only the Beatles and the Supremes.[15] Following Maurice's sudden death in 2003 aged 53, Barry and Robin retired from the group after 45 years of activity. However, in 2009 Robin announced that he and Barry had agreed the Bee Gees would re-form and perform again.[16] Robin died in 2012, aged 62, and Petersen died in 2024, aged 78, leaving Barry, Melouney, and Bridgford as the surviving members of the group. Other sidemen, such as 30-year guitarist Alan Kendall, remain musically active. |
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Throughout the band's career, the Bee Gees explored styles that have been categorized as baroque pop, white soul, soft rock, psychedelic pop, disco, and adult contemporary.
The Bee Gees were influenced by the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, the Mills Brothers, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison, the Beach Boys, and Stevie Wonder. In the 2014 documentary The Joy of the Bee Gees, Barry said that the Bee Gees were also influenced by the Hollies and Otis Redding. Maurice noted that Neil Sedaka was an early influence, and later the group was "very influenced" by Linda Creed songs for the Stylistics.
In 1978, following the success of Saturday Night Fever, and the single "Night Fever" in particular, Reubin Askew, the governor of the US state of Florida, named the Bee Gees honorary citizens of the state, since they resided in Miami at the time. In 1979, the Bee Gees got their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They were the subjects of This Is Your Life in 1991 when they were surprised by Michael Aspel while being interviewed by disc jockey Steve Wright (DJ) on his Radio 1 programme at BBC Broadcasting House.
The Bee Gees were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994, Florida's Artists Hall of Fame in 1995 and the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1997. Also in 1997, the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the presenter of the award to "Britain's First Family of Harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of the Beach Boys, another "family act" featuring three harmonising brothers. In 2001, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.[181] After Maurice's death, the Bee Gees were also inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2001, they were made Ivor Novello fellows and inducted into London's Walk of Fame in 2006 and the Musically Speaking Hall Of Fame in 2008. On 15 May 2007, the Bee Gees were named BMI Icons at the 55th annual BMI Pop Awards. Collectively, Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb have earned 109 BMI Pop, Country and Latin Awards. In October 1999, the Isle of Man Post Office unveiled a set of six stamps honouring the Bee Gees.
In the 2002 New Year's Honours, announced on 31 December 2001, all three brothers were appointed as Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). By the time of the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 27 May 2004 Maurice had died, and he was represented at the ceremony by his son Adam. On 10 July 2009, the Isle of Man's capital bestowed the Freedom of the Borough of Douglas honour on Barry and Robin, as well as posthumously on Maurice. On 20 November 2009, the Douglas Borough Council released a limited edition commemorative DVD to mark their naming as Freemen of the Borough.
On 14 February 2013, Barry Gibb unveiled a statue of the Bee Gees as well as unveiling "Bee Gees Way" (a walkway filled with photos and videos of the Bee Gees) in honour of the Bee Gees in Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia. On 27 June 2018, Barry Gibb, the last surviving member of the Bee Gees, was knighted by Prince Charles after being named on the Queen's New Year's Honours List. The statue of the Bee Gees in Douglas, Isle of Man, was installed in 2021.
In 2022, Barry Gibb was made an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia which is Australia's highest national honour. In 2023, Barry became a Kennedy Center Honoree for being a "Pop Music Pioneer".
It is estimated that the Bee Gees have sold between 120 and 250 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time. The group carries the Guinness World Record for most successful family pop group, and Gold Radio has called them "the most successful musical trio in the history of popular music."