Robin Gibb
Encyclopedia
Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE
(born 22 December 1949) is a British
singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees
, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice
(1949–2003), and elder brother Barry
.
Born in the Isle of Man
to English parents, the trio started their musical career in Australia, and found major success when they returned to England. With record sales estimated in excess of 100 million, the Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups of all time.
, and was the older of the twins by 35 minutes. The third-born of five children, he has one older sister, Lesley (born 1945), and three brothers, Barry
(born 1946), twin Maurice
(born 1949), and Andrew
(born 1958). In the 1950s, the family moved to Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester
, England, then, in late 1958, he and his family moved to Brisbane
, Australia, settling in one of the city's poorest suburbs, Cribb Island, which was subsequently demolished to make way for Brisbane Airport
. Their music careers began in Australia, and flourished when they returned to England in 1967 and were spotted.
". Meanwhile, there were rumours of drug problems, and his parents threatened to have him made a ward of court (the UK age of majority at that time being 21, and Robin then only 19).
Although initially successful, with a number 2 UK hit, "Saved by the Bell" (which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
) his album, Robin's Reign, was less successful and he found that being a solo artist was less than satisfying. His brother Maurice Gibb
played bass on the song "Mother and Jack", but was subsequently removed from the project by Robert Stigwood
. Despite having almost completed a second solo album, Sing Slowly Sisters, Robin reunited with his brothers, who had disbanded the Bee Gees in search of their own solo careers. They came back on a high note, reaching No.3 on the US charts with the song "Lonely Days
" in 1970. The following year, they had their first US No.1 hit, "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", but then their success started to ebb. After they started working with producer Arif Mardin
in 1974 and reinvented themselves with "Blue-Eyed Soul," the Bee Gees went on to their second period of phenomenal success in the disco-era late 1970s.
He also made an appearance on the Sesame Street Fever
album, singing on the title track, then doing a song for Oscar the Grouch
called "Trash", along with speaking on at least one other song.
While continuing in the group, Robin also promoted his solo career, and during the 1980s he released three further solo albums (How Old Are You, Secret Agent, and Walls Have Eyes) which were more successful in Continental Europe than in the UK or US. However, his 1984 single "Boys Do Fall in Love
" reached the Billboard top 40. Several extended versions of dance songs were recorded, including ones for "Boys Do Fall in Love", "Secret Agent", "Like a Fool" and the rarest, "You Don't Say Us Anymore"; many only released to DJ's.
In the same week as his twin brother Maurice's sudden death, Robin's next solo album, Magnet, was released in Germany on 27 January 2003 (Label: SPV), and worldwide shortly afterwards. It features the Bee Gees
song "Wish You Were Here" (from the 1989 album One
) in a new acoustic version. The lead single, "Please", has coincidental lyrics about "loss". With Maurice's death, his two surviving brothers, Robin and Barry, disbanded the Bee Gees for a time; however, it was announced in late 2009 that Barry and Robin would reform and perform as the Bee Gees again.
Robin has recently sung the vocals to the opening titles to The Dame Edna Treatment
.
On 18 May 2008, Robin released the song "Alan Freeman Days
" in tribute to the Australian DJ Alan Freeman
. The song was mainly issued as a download only track although a promotional CD was issued by Academy Recordings. In December of the same year the song was followed by another downloadable song entitled "Wing and a Prayer" which although it shares the same name as a song the Bee Gees issued on their 1989 One
album is actually a reworking of the song, "Sing Slowly Sisters", that had remained unreleased since 1970. A week later Robin issued another song as a download, "Ellan Vannin (Home Coming Mix)", featuring the King Williams College Choir from the Isle of Man.
A new solo album entitled 50 St. Catherine's Drive, originally scheduled for release in 2008, remains unreleased. In August 2009 a 50 second clip of "Instant Love" from said album appeared as a preview. The song itself is a collaboration with his son Robin-John and a second version featuring Robin-John on vocals appeared in a short film called Bloodtype: The Search in which Robin-John appeared.
Robin and his son, Robin-John, are currently writing the score for The Titanic Requiem to be recorded by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
for the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Robin was a guest mentor on The Australian version of the The X Factor, alongside judges, Radio DJ Kyle Sandilands
and Natalie Imbruglia
, Ronan Keating
and Guy Sebastian
.
, and Lance Bass
. This was played on radio, but was never actually released. In October 2003 another version was recorded as a duet with Alistair Griffin
, runner-up in the UK television program Fame Academy
, on which Robin had appeared as a judge. My Lover's Prayer
, was eventually released in the UK in January 2004 as a double A side CD single, and reached number 5 in the UK charts.
In January 2005 Robin joined his brother Barry and several other artists under the collective name of One World Project, to record a charity single in aid of Asian tsunami relief, titled "Grief Never Grows Old". Other artists who performed on the single included Boy George
, Steve Winwood
, Jon Anderson
, Rick Wakeman
, Sir Cliff Richard, Bill Wyman
, America
, Kenny Jones, Chicago
, Brian Wilson
(The Beach Boys), Russell Watson
and Davy Spillane
.
In June 2005 Gibb joined X Factor runners up G4
at a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall
, London, singing the Bee Gees song "First of May". A recording of this performance was released in December 2005 as part of a double A side single, credited as "G4 feat Robin Gibb" together with G4's own cover of Johnny Mathis
' "When a Child is Born". This track was also included on the platinum selling album G4 & Friends which reached number 6 in the UK album charts.
In November 2006, Robin released an album of Christmas carols called Robin Gibb – My Favourite Carols, backed by London choir The Serlo Consort. The album also features a brand new song written by Robin called "Mother of Love", which was released in Europe as a download single. The song was inspired by Maurice Gibb, and is the first new Robin Gibb composition to be published since his twin brother died in January 2003. Royalties of Mother of Love will be donated to the "Janki Foundation for Global Healthcare", and Robin dedicated the song to Dadi Janki, the organisation's spiritual leader. It is also dedicated to Robin's own mother, Barbara Gibb. The album also has a bonus DVD titled A Personal Christmas Moment with Robin Gibb.
Gibb went back to the top of the UK charts in 2009 when he collaborated with Ruth Jones
, Rob Brydon
, and Tom Jones
on a new version of "Islands in the Stream", which was written by Gibb and his brothers Barry and Maurice. The new version, inspired by the BBC
comedy "Gavin & Stacey
", was for the charity Comic Relief.
. A further solo tour of Latin America followed in 2005.
In February 2006, Robin joined his brother Barry live on stage at a charity concert in Hollywood, Florida
This was the first time they had performed together since the death of their brother Maurice in 2003.
In March 2006 he announced plans for more solo concerts in Shanghai and Portugal. In May 2006, Robin took part in the Prince's Trust 30th Birthday Concert at the Tower of London
along with his brother Barry. They sang 3 songs: "Jive Talkin'
", "To Love Somebody
" and "You Should Be Dancing
". In September 2006, Robin Gibb performed "Stayin' Alive
" at the Miss World
2006 contest finals in Poland. In November 2006, Robin performed a solo concert, entitled "Bee Gees – Greatest Hits", at the Araneta Coliseum
in Manila, the Philippines.
Robin Gibb marked his return to his birthplace by playing a concert at the Isle of Man TT
festival in 2007. The Peel Bay TT Festival – 12 February 2007. Robin donated all of his share of the money from this gig to the children's ward at Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man and invited all emergency service staff and marshals for the TT to attend for free.
On 8 September 2007, Robin performed a concert in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Energy Arena for the NuSkin Convention singing a set of Bee Gees hits.
On 25 October 2007, Robin Gibb performed a concert in Sofia
, Bulgaria and sang the Bee Gees most famous songs.
On 25 October 2008, to mark the 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever topping the UK charts, Robin Gibb performed with special guests including Ronan Keating
, Stephen Gateley, Sam Sparro
, Sharleen Spiteri
, Gabriella Cilmi
and Bryn Christopher
for the BBC Electric Proms
.
's organisation. The couple had survived the Hither Green rail crash
, which killed 49 people on 5 November 1967. They had two children together, Spencer and Melissa, but they eventually divorced in 1980 after years of living separate lives, with Robin almost permanently in the US and Molly remaining in the UK.
Gibb's second wife, Dwina Murphy Gibb, is an author and an artist. She is interested in druidry and is a follower of the Brahma Kumaris. The couple have a son, Robin-John. Robin and Dwina divide their time among the Isle of Man, Miami, and Thame
in Oxfordshire.
Gibb is "an ardent vegan and teetotaller".
Gibb is a supporter of the Labour Party, and launched a rally in Huddersfield ahead of the 2005 General Election. He is a close friend of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair
, who was criticised for staying at Gibb's Miami mansion over Christmas 2006.
, Gibb began to feel stomach pains. On 18 August, he was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine, the same condition that killed his twin brother Maurice in 2003. Gibb recovered and returned to performing with concerts in New Zealand
and Australia
. During this time he was also involved in the memorial dedicated to RAF Bomber Command
as well as writing The Titanic Requiem with his son Robin-John, to be recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ahead of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic in 2012. Gibb continued to make television appearances and other events following his surgery, but in April, 2011, he was forced by health problems to cancel his tour of Brazil. In September, 2011, Gibb recorded the Bee Gees classic I've Gotta Get a Message to You
with British Army men called "The Soldiers" for a charity single in the UK. Another concert in Paris was cancelled in October 2011, and Gibb was due to perform the charity single with The Soldiers on 14 October, but was unable to perform as he was again rushed to hospital with severe abdominal pains. Following his release from hospital on 18 October, Gibb appeared on ITV
's Alan Titchmarsh Show in the UK looking extremely gaunt and frail.
On 27 October 2011, again Gibb cancelled an appearance only minutes before he was due to perform at a charity event. Later the same week though, Gibb was seen in London and quoted as saying he felt "absolutely great".
On 20 November 2011, it was revealed that Robin has been battling liver cancer, which had been diagnosed several months earlier. A source close to the singer stated that his condition is "not good" and his wife, Dwina, has not left his bedside. Brother Barry and his wife Linda, as well as their mother Barbara and Robin's children, Melissa and Spencer, have flown to the UK to be with him.
, and in 1997 the Bee Gees were inducted as a group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
Robin was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2001/2002 New Year's Honours List, along with his brothers Maurice and Barry. The official presentation ceremony at Buckingham Palace
was delayed until 2004 owing to Maurice's death. In 2005, Gibb received the Steiger Award
(Germany) for accomplishments in the arts.
Robin and Barry Gibb both received Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Music
from The University of Manchester
in May 2004.
On 10 July 2009, both Robin and Barry were made Freemen
of the Borough of Douglas. The award was also bestowed posthumously on Maurice, therefore confirming the freedom of the town of their birth to all three brothers.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 22 December 1949) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
, co-founded with his twin brother Maurice
Maurice Gibb
Maurice Ernest Gibb, CBE was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born on the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, formed with his brothers...
(1949–2003), and elder brother Barry
Barry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
.
Born in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
to English parents, the trio started their musical career in Australia, and found major success when they returned to England. With record sales estimated in excess of 100 million, the Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups of all time.
Origins
Born to Barbara (née Pass) and Hugh Gibb on the Isle of Man, Robin was the twin brother of Maurice GibbMaurice Gibb
Maurice Ernest Gibb, CBE was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born on the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, formed with his brothers...
, and was the older of the twins by 35 minutes. The third-born of five children, he has one older sister, Lesley (born 1945), and three brothers, Barry
Barry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
(born 1946), twin Maurice
Maurice Gibb
Maurice Ernest Gibb, CBE was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born on the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, formed with his brothers...
(born 1949), and Andrew
Andy Gibb
Andy Gibb was an English singer and teen idol, and the youngest brother of the family whose other male siblings formed the Bee Gees: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb.-The early years:...
(born 1958). In the 1950s, the family moved to Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England, then, in late 1958, he and his family moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia, settling in one of the city's poorest suburbs, Cribb Island, which was subsequently demolished to make way for Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport is the sole passenger airport serving Brisbane and the third busiest in Australia, after Melbourne and Sydney Airports. Brisbane Airport has won many awards. Located in the suburb with the same name, the airport serves the city of Brisbane and the surrounding metropolitan area...
. Their music careers began in Australia, and flourished when they returned to England in 1967 and were spotted.
Solo career
Traditionally, Robin's role in the group has been that of lead singer, for which he vied constantly with his elder brother Barry Gibb during the group's first period of British success in the late 1960s. This eventually resulted in Robin leaving the group to begin a solo career after his song "Lamplight" was relegated to the 'B' side of Barry's "First of MayFirst of May (Bee Gees song)
"First of May" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees with lead vocals by Barry Gibb, released as a single from their 1969 double album Odessa. The flip side of a single was "Lamplight" on which Robin Gibb sang the lead. Robert Stigwood, the Bee Gees manager chose "First of May" for the A-side...
". Meanwhile, there were rumours of drug problems, and his parents threatened to have him made a ward of court (the UK age of majority at that time being 21, and Robin then only 19).
Although initially successful, with a number 2 UK hit, "Saved by the Bell" (which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
) his album, Robin's Reign, was less successful and he found that being a solo artist was less than satisfying. His brother Maurice Gibb
Maurice Gibb
Maurice Ernest Gibb, CBE was a musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He was born on the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, formed with his brothers...
played bass on the song "Mother and Jack", but was subsequently removed from the project by Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
. Despite having almost completed a second solo album, Sing Slowly Sisters, Robin reunited with his brothers, who had disbanded the Bee Gees in search of their own solo careers. They came back on a high note, reaching No.3 on the US charts with the song "Lonely Days
Lonely Days
"Lonely Days" is a 1970 song by the Bee Gees, featured on their album 2 Years On. The song incorporated the innovative structure and knack for changing tempos exemplified by the second side of The Beatles' Abbey Road album, released the previous year and a clear influence on this single...
" in 1970. The following year, they had their first US No.1 hit, "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", but then their success started to ebb. After they started working with producer Arif Mardin
Arif Mardin
Arif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country...
in 1974 and reinvented themselves with "Blue-Eyed Soul," the Bee Gees went on to their second period of phenomenal success in the disco-era late 1970s.
He also made an appearance on the Sesame Street Fever
Sesame Street Fever
Sesame Street Fever is a concept album made by the cast of Sesame Street in 1978. It follows the characters as a love of disco sweeps Sesame Street....
album, singing on the title track, then doing a song for Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character on the television program Sesame Street. He has a green body , has no nose , and lives in a trash can. His favorite thing in life is trash; evidence for this is the song "I Love Trash". A running theme is his compulsive hoarding of seemingly useless items...
called "Trash", along with speaking on at least one other song.
While continuing in the group, Robin also promoted his solo career, and during the 1980s he released three further solo albums (How Old Are You, Secret Agent, and Walls Have Eyes) which were more successful in Continental Europe than in the UK or US. However, his 1984 single "Boys Do Fall in Love
Boys Do Fall in Love
"Boys Do Fall In Love" is a 1984 single by British musician Robin Gibb, from his 1984 third solo album Secret Agent. The song reached the top forty in several countries, including the United States where it peaked at #37. In the UK, the song only managed to chart at #70, but was more successful in...
" reached the Billboard top 40. Several extended versions of dance songs were recorded, including ones for "Boys Do Fall in Love", "Secret Agent", "Like a Fool" and the rarest, "You Don't Say Us Anymore"; many only released to DJ's.
In the same week as his twin brother Maurice's sudden death, Robin's next solo album, Magnet, was released in Germany on 27 January 2003 (Label: SPV), and worldwide shortly afterwards. It features the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
song "Wish You Were Here" (from the 1989 album One
One (Bee Gees album)
One is the Bee Gees' eighteenth studio album, released in April 1989 . After the European success of their previous album, E.S.P., the Gibb brothers began to work on the One album in early 1988. In March, their brother Andy suddenly died and the Bee Gees took a break until November when they...
) in a new acoustic version. The lead single, "Please", has coincidental lyrics about "loss". With Maurice's death, his two surviving brothers, Robin and Barry, disbanded the Bee Gees for a time; however, it was announced in late 2009 that Barry and Robin would reform and perform as the Bee Gees again.
Robin has recently sung the vocals to the opening titles to The Dame Edna Treatment
The Dame Edna Treatment
The Dame Edna Treatment was a British, ITV talk show created by Barry Humphries and starring his characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. It aired on ITV at various times. The theme tune was written and performed by Robin Gibb. It was based upon the 1997 British talk show Dr Dame Edna...
.
On 18 May 2008, Robin released the song "Alan Freeman Days
Alan Freeman Days
Robin Gibb wrote, recorded and released Alan Freeman Days as a tribute to the late Australian DJ Alan Freeman in May 2008.While it was mainly made available as a download the song was also included on a limited number of promotional CDs, a various artitst compilation "V.1 - Songs from the British...
" in tribute to the Australian DJ Alan Freeman
Alan Freeman
Alan Leslie "Fluff" Freeman, MBE was a British disc jockey and radio personality in the United Kingdom for 40 years.-Career:...
. The song was mainly issued as a download only track although a promotional CD was issued by Academy Recordings. In December of the same year the song was followed by another downloadable song entitled "Wing and a Prayer" which although it shares the same name as a song the Bee Gees issued on their 1989 One
One (Bee Gees album)
One is the Bee Gees' eighteenth studio album, released in April 1989 . After the European success of their previous album, E.S.P., the Gibb brothers began to work on the One album in early 1988. In March, their brother Andy suddenly died and the Bee Gees took a break until November when they...
album is actually a reworking of the song, "Sing Slowly Sisters", that had remained unreleased since 1970. A week later Robin issued another song as a download, "Ellan Vannin (Home Coming Mix)", featuring the King Williams College Choir from the Isle of Man.
A new solo album entitled 50 St. Catherine's Drive, originally scheduled for release in 2008, remains unreleased. In August 2009 a 50 second clip of "Instant Love" from said album appeared as a preview. The song itself is a collaboration with his son Robin-John and a second version featuring Robin-John on vocals appeared in a short film called Bloodtype: The Search in which Robin-John appeared.
Robin and his son, Robin-John, are currently writing the score for The Titanic Requiem to be recorded by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
for the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
Robin was a guest mentor on The Australian version of the The X Factor, alongside judges, Radio DJ Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Dalton Sandilands is an Australian radio and TV personality. He is currently the host with Jacqueline Henderson, better known as Jackie O, on the weekday morning radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney radio station 2Day FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power which airs on...
and Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
and Guy Sebastian
Guy Sebastian
Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and...
.
Collaborations
In August 2003, Robin announced that he would be releasing a new single of "My Lover's Prayer", a song first recorded by the Bee Gees in 1997, with vocals by Robin, Wanya MorrisWanya Morris
Wanyá Jermaine Morris is an American R&B singer, best known as a member of the R&B group Boyz II Men.Aside from Boyz II Men, Wanyá has his own record label, "The Company Entertainment"....
, and Lance Bass
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass , best known as Lance Bass, is an American pop singer, dancer, actor, film and television producer, and author. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band 'N Sync. 'N Sync's success led Bass to work in film and television...
. This was played on radio, but was never actually released. In October 2003 another version was recorded as a duet with Alistair Griffin
Alistair Griffin
Alistair Richard Griffin is an English singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC television show Fame Academy 2 in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees...
, runner-up in the UK television program Fame Academy
Fame Academy 2
This article is about the second series of the BBC's Fame Academy TV programme, first broadcast in the UK over thirteen weeks in July - October 2003. It was won by Alex Parks.- Changes to format :...
, on which Robin had appeared as a judge. My Lover's Prayer
Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer
"Bring It On" is the self-penned debut single from British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, and is also the title track and first release from his debut album, Bring It On...
, was eventually released in the UK in January 2004 as a double A side CD single, and reached number 5 in the UK charts.
In January 2005 Robin joined his brother Barry and several other artists under the collective name of One World Project, to record a charity single in aid of Asian tsunami relief, titled "Grief Never Grows Old". Other artists who performed on the single included Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
, Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, Sir Cliff Richard, Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
, America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
, Kenny Jones, Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
(The Beach Boys), Russell Watson
Russell Watson
Russell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. The self-styled "People's Tenor" had been singing since he was a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club...
and Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane is a songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.early yearsDavy was born in Dublin in 1959 . At the age of 12 he started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him and inspired him with his love of all music genres...
.
In June 2005 Gibb joined X Factor runners up G4
G4 (band)
G4 were a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in ITV's talent show The X Factor in 2004. The members met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which the name G4, standing for "Guildhall 4", derives.-The X Factor:G4 auditioned for the...
at a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, London, singing the Bee Gees song "First of May". A recording of this performance was released in December 2005 as part of a double A side single, credited as "G4 feat Robin Gibb" together with G4's own cover of Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
' "When a Child is Born". This track was also included on the platinum selling album G4 & Friends which reached number 6 in the UK album charts.
In November 2006, Robin released an album of Christmas carols called Robin Gibb – My Favourite Carols, backed by London choir The Serlo Consort. The album also features a brand new song written by Robin called "Mother of Love", which was released in Europe as a download single. The song was inspired by Maurice Gibb, and is the first new Robin Gibb composition to be published since his twin brother died in January 2003. Royalties of Mother of Love will be donated to the "Janki Foundation for Global Healthcare", and Robin dedicated the song to Dadi Janki, the organisation's spiritual leader. It is also dedicated to Robin's own mother, Barbara Gibb. The album also has a bonus DVD titled A Personal Christmas Moment with Robin Gibb.
Gibb went back to the top of the UK charts in 2009 when he collaborated with Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
, Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
, and Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
on a new version of "Islands in the Stream", which was written by Gibb and his brothers Barry and Maurice. The new version, inspired by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy "Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey is a British comedy television series. A romantic comedy-drama, the show follows the long-distance relationship of Gavin from Billericay in Essex, England, and Stacey from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The writers of the show, actors James Corden and Ruth Jones, also...
", was for the charity Comic Relief.
Concerts
In late 2004, Robin embarked on a solo tour of Germany, Russia and Asia, with Alistair Griffin as the opening act. On his return he released a CD and DVD of live recordings from the German leg of the tour, backed by the Frankfurt Neue Philharmonic OrchestraNeue Philharmonie Frankfurt
The Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt is an orchestra based in Offenbach, Germany.The Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, established in 1996, is beside its work as a classical symphony orchestra one of the leading crossover orchestras in Europe...
. A further solo tour of Latin America followed in 2005.
In February 2006, Robin joined his brother Barry live on stage at a charity concert in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
This was the first time they had performed together since the death of their brother Maurice in 2003.
In March 2006 he announced plans for more solo concerts in Shanghai and Portugal. In May 2006, Robin took part in the Prince's Trust 30th Birthday Concert at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
along with his brother Barry. They sang 3 songs: "Jive Talkin'
Jive Talkin'
"Jive Talkin" is a song by the Bee Gees, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top-five on the UK singles chart in the summer of 1975. Largely recognized as the group's "comeback" song, it was their first U.S. top ten hit since "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" in...
", "To Love Somebody
To Love Somebody (song)
"To Love Somebody" is the second single released by the Bee Gees from their third LP, Bee Gees 1st.The band's manager Robert Stigwood wanted Barry Gibb to write a soul song for Otis Redding. Barry, along with Robin wrote "To Love Somebody," a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals...
" and "You Should Be Dancing
You Should Be Dancing
"You Should Be Dancing" is a single by the Bee Gees, from the album, Children of the World, in 1976. The single hit number one for one week on the American Billboard Hot 100, number one for seven weeks on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, and in July the same year, reached number five on the UK...
". In September 2006, Robin Gibb performed "Stayin' Alive
Stayin' Alive
"Stayin' Alive" is a song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on 13 December 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever...
" at the Miss World
Miss World
The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951...
2006 contest finals in Poland. In November 2006, Robin performed a solo concert, entitled "Bee Gees – Greatest Hits", at the Araneta Coliseum
Araneta Coliseum
The Smart Araneta Coliseum, known as The Big Dome is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena located in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines...
in Manila, the Philippines.
Robin Gibb marked his return to his birthplace by playing a concert at the Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
festival in 2007. The Peel Bay TT Festival – 12 February 2007. Robin donated all of his share of the money from this gig to the children's ward at Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man and invited all emergency service staff and marshals for the TT to attend for free.
On 8 September 2007, Robin performed a concert in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Energy Arena for the NuSkin Convention singing a set of Bee Gees hits.
On 25 October 2007, Robin Gibb performed a concert in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria and sang the Bee Gees most famous songs.
On 25 October 2008, to mark the 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever topping the UK charts, Robin Gibb performed with special guests including Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
, Stephen Gateley, Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro is an Australian singer-songwriter, music producer, and former child actor. His stage name was derived from a family nickname, which in turn was inspired by the Dagenham radio mascot Sammy Sparrow...
, Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri is a Scottish recording artist and songwriter, best known as being the lead singer of Scottish rock/blues band Texas. Texas began their career in 1986, and shot to fame in 1989 with their UK Top Ten single, "I Don't Want a Lover" released from Southside...
, Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Lucia Cilmi is an Australian singer-songwriter. In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist....
and Bryn Christopher
Bryn Christopher
Bryn Christopher is a British singer-songwriter.- Influences :Bryn cites his influences as greats such as Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder.- Early years :...
for the BBC Electric Proms
BBC Electric Proms
The BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms was an October music festival in London run by the BBC for five years, 2006-2010...
.
Personal life
In 1968 Gibb married Molly Hullis, a secretary in Robert StigwoodRobert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
's organisation. The couple had survived the Hither Green rail crash
Hither Green rail crash
The Hither Green rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 5 November 1967 near Hither Green maintenance depot, between Hither Green and Grove Park railway stations, in south-east London....
, which killed 49 people on 5 November 1967. They had two children together, Spencer and Melissa, but they eventually divorced in 1980 after years of living separate lives, with Robin almost permanently in the US and Molly remaining in the UK.
Gibb's second wife, Dwina Murphy Gibb, is an author and an artist. She is interested in druidry and is a follower of the Brahma Kumaris. The couple have a son, Robin-John. Robin and Dwina divide their time among the Isle of Man, Miami, and Thame
Thame
Thame is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about southwest of the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury. It derives its toponym from the River Thame which flows past the north side of the town....
in Oxfordshire.
Gibb is "an ardent vegan and teetotaller".
Gibb is a supporter of the Labour Party, and launched a rally in Huddersfield ahead of the 2005 General Election. He is a close friend of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, who was criticised for staying at Gibb's Miami mansion over Christmas 2006.
Health problems
On 14 August 2010 while performing in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Gibb began to feel stomach pains. On 18 August, he was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine, the same condition that killed his twin brother Maurice in 2003. Gibb recovered and returned to performing with concerts in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. During this time he was also involved in the memorial dedicated to RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
as well as writing The Titanic Requiem with his son Robin-John, to be recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ahead of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic in 2012. Gibb continued to make television appearances and other events following his surgery, but in April, 2011, he was forced by health problems to cancel his tour of Brazil. In September, 2011, Gibb recorded the Bee Gees classic I've Gotta Get a Message to You
I've Gotta Get a Message to You
"I've Gotta Get a Message to You" is a song recorded by The Bee Gees in 1968, which became their second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, and reached number eight on the U.S. pop chart....
with British Army men called "The Soldiers" for a charity single in the UK. Another concert in Paris was cancelled in October 2011, and Gibb was due to perform the charity single with The Soldiers on 14 October, but was unable to perform as he was again rushed to hospital with severe abdominal pains. Following his release from hospital on 18 October, Gibb appeared on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Alan Titchmarsh Show in the UK looking extremely gaunt and frail.
On 27 October 2011, again Gibb cancelled an appearance only minutes before he was due to perform at a charity event. Later the same week though, Gibb was seen in London and quoted as saying he felt "absolutely great".
On 20 November 2011, it was revealed that Robin has been battling liver cancer, which had been diagnosed several months earlier. A source close to the singer stated that his condition is "not good" and his wife, Dwina, has not left his bedside. Brother Barry and his wife Linda, as well as their mother Barbara and Robin's children, Melissa and Spencer, have flown to the UK to be with him.
Awards
In 1994, Robin Gibb was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of FameSongwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
, and in 1997 the Bee Gees were inducted as a group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
Robin was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2001/2002 New Year's Honours List, along with his brothers Maurice and Barry. The official presentation ceremony at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
was delayed until 2004 owing to Maurice's death. In 2005, Gibb received the Steiger Award
Steiger Award
The Steiger Award or Der Steiger is an international award established in 2005 and presented annually by the award organization based in Bochum, Germany. The title translates as The Miner, and reflects the qualities of responsibility, honesty, openness and hard work valued in the North Rhine...
(Germany) for accomplishments in the arts.
Robin and Barry Gibb both received Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
from The University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in May 2004.
On 10 July 2009, both Robin and Barry were made Freemen
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of the Borough of Douglas. The award was also bestowed posthumously on Maurice, therefore confirming the freedom of the town of their birth to all three brothers.
Albums
| Year | Title | United Kingdom | Germany | United States | Switzerland | Canada | New Zealand | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Robin's Reign | – | No.19 | – | – | No.77 | – | – |
| 1983 | How Old Are You? | – | No.6 | – | No.26 | – | No.22 | No.13 |
| 1984 | Secret Agent | – | No.31 | No.97 | No.20 | – | – | – |
| 1985 | Walls Have Eyes | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002 | Magnet | No.43 | No.10 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006 | My Favourite Christmas Carols | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Singles
| Year | Title | United Kingdom | Germany | United States | Austria | Switzerland | South Africa | New Zealand | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Saved By the Bell" | No.2 | No.3 | – | – | – | No.1 | No.1 | – |
| 1969 | "One Million Years" | – | No.14 | – | – | No.6 | – | – | – |
| 1970 | "August, October" | No.45 | No.12 | – | – | – | – | No.11 | – |
| 1978 | "Oh! Darling Oh! Darling "Oh! Darling" is a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney and appearing as the fourth song on the album, Abbey Road, in 1969. Its working title was "Oh! Darling "... " |
– | – | No.15 | – | – | – | – | No.5 |
| 1980 | "Help Me!" (Robin Gibb with Marcy Levy) |
– | – | No.50 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983 | "Juliet" | No.94 | No.1 | No.104 | No.2 | No.1 | – | – | No.1 |
| 1983 | "How Old Are You?" | No.92 | No.37 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983 | "Another Lonely Night in New York" | No.71 | No.16 | – | – | No.19 | – | – | – |
| 1984 | "Boys Do Fall in Love Boys Do Fall in Love "Boys Do Fall In Love" is a 1984 single by British musician Robin Gibb, from his 1984 third solo album Secret Agent. The song reached the top forty in several countries, including the United States where it peaked at #37. In the UK, the song only managed to chart at #70, but was more successful in... " |
No.70 | No.21 | No.37 | No.36 | – | No.7 | – | No.10 |
| 1984 | "Secret Agent" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1985 | "In Your Diary" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1985 | "Like a Fool" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1986 | "Toys" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002 | "Please" | No.23 | No.51 | – | – | – | – | No.48 | – |
| 2003 | "Wait Forever" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004 | "My Lover's Prayer Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer "Bring It On" is the self-penned debut single from British singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, and is also the title track and first release from his debut album, Bring It On... " (Robin Gibb and Alistair Griffin Alistair Griffin Alistair Richard Griffin is an English singer/songwriter and musician. Already an established songwriter, he first became famous as a solo artist through his appearances on the BBC television show Fame Academy 2 in 2003, where he was "spotted" and championed by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees... ) |
No.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005 | "First of May" (G4 G4 (band) G4 were a four-piece British vocal troupe who first came to prominence when they finished second in ITV's talent show The X Factor in 2004. The members met at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which the name G4, standing for "Guildhall 4", derives.-The X Factor:G4 auditioned for the... feat. Robin Gibb) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006 | "Mother of Love" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007 | "Too Much Heaven" (Robin Gibb and US5 US5 US5 are a multinational pop boy band. The band originated in 2005 on the German RTL II television reality show Big in America and debuted in June of the same year on Lou Pearlman’s Transcontinental label... ) |
– | No.7 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009 | "Islands in the Stream Islands in the Stream "Islands in the Stream" is the title of a song written by the Bee Gees and sung by American country music artists Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released in August 1983 as the first single from Rogers' album Eyes That See in the Dark and the second pop number-one for both Rogers and Parton... " (Comic Relief w/Robin Gibb) |
No.1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011 | "I've Gotta Get a Message to You I've Gotta Get a Message to You "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" is a song recorded by The Bee Gees in 1968, which became their second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, and reached number eight on the U.S. pop chart.... " (The Soldiers The Soldiers The Soldiers is a singing trio consisting of serving British Army soldiers, signed to CPW Productions Warner Bros. Records, whose debut album, Coming Home, was released on 26 October 2009. The trio consists of Ryan Idzi, Richie Maddocks and Gary Chilton. The Soldiers' first national interview was... with Robin Gibb) |
No.75 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |