The mother of The Bee Gees has died at her home in Miami. She was 95.
Along with her husband Hugh Gibb, Barbara oversaw the early career in the 1960s of her sons Barry and twins Robin and Maurice when they formed The Bee Gees after growing up on the Isle Of Man.
The couple had two other children. Andy Gibb was a successful solo singer before his death from a heart condition in 1988, while Lesley Evans became a successful dog breeder.
Born Barbara Pass in 1920 in Manchester, Barbara married Hugh – the bandleader of The Hughie Gibb Orchestra – in 1944. The family moved to Australia shortly after youngest son Andy’s birth.
Hugh and Barbara oversaw their children’s early music, before local DJ Bill Gates and promoter Bill Goode began getting them more live work. It was Gates who changed their name from The Gibbs Brothers to The Bee Gees after Gates, Goodes and Barry Gibbs’ initials.
The Bee Gees went on to sell millions of albums and have hit singles including ‘Night Fever’, ‘To Love Somebody’ and ‘You Should Be Dancing’. The band ended in 2003 following the sudden death of Maurice Gibb. Robin Gibb died of cancer in 2012, leaving Barry as the band’s sole surviving member.
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Barry Gibb recently announced he is to release new solo album ‘In The Now’ in autumn. He also appeared with Coldplay when they headlined Glastonbury in June.
Barbara moved to Miami following her husband Hugh’s death in 1992.