Barry Alan Crompton Gibb CBE (born 1 September 1946) is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in Douglas, 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 success when they returned to England. He is known for his high-pitched falsetto singing voice.
Gibb grew up with his family in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England. In 1958 his family moved to Brisbane, Australia, settling in one of the city's poorest suburbs, Cribb Island, which was subsequently obliterated to make way for Brisbane Airport.
Barry Gibb married a former "Miss Edinburgh (Scotland)" Linda Gray on September 1, 1970, choosing Barry's birthdate "so he wouldn't forget anniversary" according to Linda from a 1979 biography of the BeeGees. At that time they lived in Abbey House, a mansion block in London near the Abbey Road crossing made famous by The Beatles. They have 5 children: Stephen (1973), Ashley (1977), Travis (1981), Michael (1984), and Alexandra (1991). He has four grandchildren: Nina and Angus Levas Gibb (Stephen's children), Lucas John Crompton Gibb (Ashley's child) and Damien Michael Crompton Gibb (Michael's child). In the early 90's Barry had a heart attack brought on by morphine whilst having a back operation and suffers with arthritis.
Barry and his brothers' Robin and Maurice voiced their frustration in 1987 of American radio stations not playing their new music which contained the European hit single "You win again" thus causing poor sales in the States of their 1987 album "Esp".Barry also has some resistance to his late 70's music being called "Disco" and thought the music they were writing at that time was to them "R and B" and soul.
In January 2006 Gibb purchased the former home of country legends Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash in Hendersonville, Tennessee, intending to restore it and turn it into a songwriting retreat. This house was destroyed by fire on April 10, 2007.
Gibb resides in Miami Beach and Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.
On 7 December 2006, Barry Gibb, along with around 4,500 other musicians, took out a full-page advertisement in the Financial Times newspaper calling for the British Government to extend the existing 50 years copyright protection for sound recordings in the United Kingdom. The fair play for musicians advertisement was viewed as a direct response to the Gowers Review published by the British Government on 6 December 2006 which recommended the retention of the 50 year protection for sound recordings.
On the May 8, 2007 episode of American Idol, Gibb mentored the four remaining contestants, and on the following night, he sang his own song "To Love Somebody" before the elimination of LaKisha Jones.
As a preview to his forthcoming country album, Barry has released the song Drown On The River to iTunes. The song will also be featured in the 2008 movie Deal starring Burt Reynolds.
