Barbara Gibb

Barbara Mary Gibb (nee Pass, 17 November 1920 – 12 August 2016) was an English singer, best known as the mother of musicians Barry, Robin, Maurice, and Andy Gibb. Barry, Robin, and Maurice went on to success as The Bee Gees, while Andy made a name for himself as a solo artist.

Biography

Barbara Mary Pass was born in Bolton, Lancashire, on November 17, 1920,[1][2] to Ernest and Nora Pass.[2] She grew up in the city,[3] and met her future husband, drummer Hugh Gibb, while working as a singer.[4] The couple married on May 27, 1944,[4][5] and in 1945, their first child, Lesley, was born. Soon, they moved to the Isle of Man, where their first son, Barry,[2] was born on 1 September 1946. On 22 December 1949, twin boys Robin and Maurice were born. The family later moved back to Manchester.[2] The youngest of the Gibb children, Andy was born on 5 March 1958. Later that same year, the Gibbs immigrated to Australia, where the three oldest sons formed The Bee Gees,[2] which had previously been known as The Rattlesnakes.

Barbara and Hugh managed the band's early career.[1] The Bee Gees became a very successful band.[4] In 1966 the band had its first song reach number one in the Australian charts and bought Barbara a coat made from silver fox fur.[2] In 1992 Gibb moved to Miami, Florida, where she was involved in fundraising for the Diabetes Research Institute.[4] Noeleen Batley told the Australian Women's Weekly that “Barbara is the rock in that family. She has this spirit that is very inspiring.”[4] She was described as the families "matriarch".[2][6]

Barbara died on 12 August 2016 at age 95 in Miami Beach, Florida.[2] She outlived her husband, as well as three of her five children: Andy (who died in 1988), Maurice (2003), and Robin (2012).[1][3][7]

References
  1. "Barbara Gibb, Mother of the Bee Gees & Andy Gibb, Dies at 95". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  2. "Barbara Gibb: Long-suffering Lancastrian matriarch who accompanied her sons in the Bee Gees to therapy when they sank into addiction". The Times. August 17, 2016.
  3. "Barbara Gibb, mother of the Bee Gees, dies aged 95". the Guardian. 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  4. Cohen, Howard (August 15, 2016). "Bee Gees' mom Barbara Gibb inspired sons to musical greatness". The Miami Herald.
  5. "Barbara Gibb, mother of Bee Gees' Gibb brothers, dies at 95". AP NEWS. 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  6. Katz, Gregory. "Gibb matriarch loses third son with Robin's death". courant.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  7. Katz, Gregory; Associated Press (2012-05-21). "Robin Gibb wondered if family was paying 'karmic price' for success of the Bee Gees - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper". lasvegassun.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.

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