Barry Gibb is celebrating his 80th birthday today, September 1. Born in Douglas on the Isle of Man in 1946, he began singing as a child with his younger twin brothers, Robin and Maurice. Their early group, the Rattlesnakes, eventually became the Bee Gees after the family moved to Australia.
Together, the brothers created some of the most recognizable music of the 1960s and 1970s. The Recording Academy credits the Bee Gees with 30 Top 40 hits, including nine No. 1 songs, as well as five Grammy wins. Their unmistakable harmonies helped make songs such as “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever” and “How Deep Is Your Love” permanent parts of pop history.
Barry is now the last surviving Gibb brother. Younger brother Andy died in 1988, Maurice died in 2003 and Robin died in 2012. Barry has spoken openly about how deeply he still misses them, saying in the past that having his brothers back would mean more to him than all their success. As he reaches 80, fans are celebrating both his life and the music the four brothers left behind.
