Bee Gees

The Bee Gees were a British and Australian band, originally a pop singer-songwriter combination, reborn as funk and rhythm and blues. The brothers Gibb, consisting of frequent lead vocalist Barry, and the twins, co-lead vocalist Robin, and keyboardist/guitarist Maurice, were born in the Isle of Man in the 1940s.

Awards and success

With The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Paul McCartney, the Bee Gees are in the top five of the most successful recording artists of all time, achieving world-wide record sales in excess of 110 million. Their songs have been covered by numerous singers including Elvis, Otis Redding, and newer acts like Steps and Destiny's Child. Songs written by the Gibbs but better known in versions by other artists include, "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman and by Kim Wilde, "Buried Treasure" by Kenny Rogers, "Love Me" by Elliman, "Chain Reaction" by Diana Ross and by Steps, "Emotion" by Samantha Sang, "Guilty" by Barbra Streisand (later covered by Human Nature and Guy Sebastian as "Guilty (One In A Million) in 2004), "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick and "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Also, Wyclef Jean adapted the Gibbs' "Stayin' Alive" into the hit rap single "We Trying To Stay Alive". Take That covered "How Deep is Your Love?" and Steps also covered "Tragedy."

Related Topics:
The Beatles - Elvis Presley - Michael Jackson - Paul McCartney - Otis Redding - Steps - Destiny's Child - Kim Wilde - Kenny Rogers - Diana Ross - Steps - Samantha Sang - Barbra Streisand - Human Nature - Guy Sebastian - 2004 - Dionne Warwick - Dolly Parton - Wyclef Jean - Take That

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Bee Gees had nine #1 singles on the U.S. Billboard charts between 1971 and 1979. The peak of their chart success in the United States came in March 1978, when four of the top 5 songs were written by the Gibbs: their own "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive" at #1 and #2, Samantha Sang's "Emotion" at #3, and brother Andy's "Love is Thicker Than Water" at #5. This was the closest anyone came to the achievement of the Beatles, who held all five of the top singles spots on an April 1964 chart — with five different songs by the band themselves (four self-penned, along with a cover of the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout").

Related Topics:
Billboard - Beatles - Isley Brothers

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From the last week of 1977 through August of 1978, Gibb-written songs held the #1 position for 25 of 32 weeks, including 4 consecutive chart-toppers in "Stayin' Alive," "Love is Thicker Than Water," "Night Fever," and "If I Can't Have You."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over their career, the Bee Gees earned five Grammy Awards and in 1994 all three were individually inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1997, the Bee Gees were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Related Topics:
Grammy Award - Songwriters Hall of Fame - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.

Related Topics:
Vocal Group Hall of Fame - 2001

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2002, the Bee Gees were made CBEs (Commander of the British Empire) United Kingdom's New Year Honours list. Robin and Barry collected their awards in May 2004, Maurice's son Adam collected for his late father.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~