Andy Gibb

Andy Gibb (March 5, 1958 – March 10, 1988) was an Anglo-Australian singer and teen idol, and the younger brother of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, also known as the Bee Gees.

Andy's Rise To The Top

In the United States, Gibb became the first male solo artist to chart three consecutive Number One singles on the Billboard Hot 100. In July of 1977, he had his first major hit, "I Just Want to Be Your Everything", a song written by his brother Barry, just as his first album Flowing Rivers broke into the US Top 20, on its way to selling over a million copies. The album's second single "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" broke in early 1978 amidst the commercial explosion caused by his brothers' contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, replacing "Stayin' Alive" at the top of the US charts, and then submitting to "Night Fever" when it reached the summit in mid-March.

Related Topics:
United States - 1977 - 1978

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Continuing the momentum of his first successes, Gibb began work with the Gibb-Galuten-Richardson production team on his second album Shadow Dancing. The title track, written by all four Gibb brothers, was released as a single in the US in April 1978, and in mid-June began a seven week run at Number One, achieving platinum status. Two further Top Ten singles, "An Everlasting Love" and "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away" were extracted from the album, which became another million seller. Despite his impressive accomplishments, the pressures and excesses of such rapid success began to consume Gibb, and eventually he would succumb to drug addiction and the reality of a career in decline.

Related Topics:
1978 - Drug addiction

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In 1979, Gibb returned to the studio to begin recording sessions for his final full studio album, After Dark. With drugs impeding his previous ability to write and even fully sing the tracks on his own record, Gibb was only able to forge his performance with nearly intrusive support from brother Barry. In March of 1980 the last of Gibb's Top Ten singles charted just ahead of the album's release. "Desire", was recorded for the Bee Gees' 1979 album Spirits Having Flown, and featured their original track with Gibb's lead vocal dubbed in. A second single, "I Can't Help It", a duet with family friend Olivia Newton-John, reached the Top Twenty. Later in the year, Andy Gibb's Greatest Hits was released as a finale to his contract with RSO Records, with two new songs: "Time Is Time" (number 15 in January 1981) and "Me (Without You)" (Gibb's last Top Forty chart entry) shipped as singles.

Related Topics:
1979 - 1980 - Olivia Newton-John

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