Hugh Gibb

Hugh Leslie Gibb Barry, Robin and Maurice would go on to form the Bee Gees, one of the most successful musical groups of all time, while Andy was a solo performer.

Life and career

Early life and family background

Hugh Leslie Gibb was born in the Chorlton district of Manchester to Edith Yardley and Hugh Gibb. He said: "I was the oddball in my family 'cause I liked music and the attitude was that it would never do you any good. The main theme then was go to work, have a steady job, and bring your wages home every weekend. A side track from that wasn't right in their eyes. To be a musician was like the old days, you know, when they were considered vagabonds, and that's all I ever wanted to do."

Gibb's father was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1876. His mother was born in Manchester in 1892 to Hannah and William Yardley. Hannah was 16 years younger than her husband and became stepmother to the seven children he had from his previous marriage to Annie. Annie died in 1889 at the age of 38. Gibb's grandfather, Thomas Yardley, was born in 1826 and is recorded as being a railway worker.

Barbara Pass Barbara Pass (1920-2016) was a dance band vocalist and on one of her nights off she went with a friend to another dance hall. Later, she said: "That's where it all started." Gibb escorted Pass home that night and thereafter they were romantically involved. Despite the war, Gibb had fond memories of meeting his future wife, and said: "People enjoyed themselves more. Kids to-day think they've done everything by the time they're 18 and have nothing to look forward to." Gibb and his family remained in Douglas until 1955, when they returned to the Manchester area. Of his time in Douglas, Gibb said, "I stayed there for [about] 10 years and Joe Loss's band used to be there; that was the big band era."

Career "What Dad did, unknowingly, was to play a lot of music that was inspirational to writing, I would say the Mills Brothers, regarding my dad's input from them to us, was probably when you are on stage, smile. If you feel like crap and look like crap, people will feel like crap too. Dad would always be down the back holding a smiley face because that's what the Mills Brothers did. I really did think that Dad wanted us to be little white Mills Brothers". By November 1971, Gibb and his wife Barbara had moved to Ibiza, Spain with their son Andy and granddaughter, Beri.

Later years and death

On 6 March 1992, Gibb died of internal bleeding, at the age of 76, after years of "heavy drinking". He is buried in the Court of Remembrance section of Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles where his son Andy is also buried. Barry Gibb's reaction to his father's death was "I believe all this was meant to happen. I miss my father of course, but he stopped living when Andy died and I'm sure he's happier now."