Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, who with his two brothers, defined the disco wave and was regarded as one of the major figures in the history of British music, died on Sunday after a long and painful battle with cancer. He was 62. Announcing his death with “great sadness'', his family said he had undergone intestinal surgery.
Mr. Gibb fell into a coma last month after contracting pneumonia but later regained consciousness and was said to have been making a “positive recovery'', the BBC said.
Mr. Gibb's musical career began in 1958 when he formed the Bee Gees with his brothers Barry and Maurice and together they sold more than 200 million records. In the popularity stakes, they were ranked second only to the Beatles.
Maurice died in 2003.
The Bee Gees song catalogue, which included such hits as Massachusetts, I've Gotta Get A Message To You, Lonely Days, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, How Deep Is Your Love and Stayin' Alive saw them inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
He was awarded a CBE in 2002.
Singer Dionne Warwick, whose biggest hit, Heartbreaker, was written by the Gibb brothers, described him as simply “wonderful''. Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said Mr. Gibb was “talented beyond even his own understanding”.
“Everyone should be aware that the Bee Gees are second only to Lennon and McCartney as the most successful songwriting unit in British popular music. Their accomplishments have been monumental. Not only have they written their own number one hits, but they wrote huge hit records for Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Celine Dion, Destiny's Child, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, the list goes on and on,” he said.
