The last living member of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb, celebrated both his 53rd anniversary with his wife and his 77th birthday on the same day.
Gibb has previously credited his “lady” for keeping him alive amid the untimely deaths of his brothers.
The star, who is rarely seen nowadays, said that he prays for his five children and seven grandchildren.
Iconic British musician Barry Gibb, 77, most widely known for being a member of the famous group the Bee Gees, was born on September 1, 1946. The artist and his late twin brothers, Maurice and Robin Gibb, performed as a trio after their family moved to Australia after the birth of their youngest brother, the late Andy Gibb.
Barry’s musical career spans forty-five years, and his numerous accomplishments deem him a prominent figure in the music industry. Besides being a legendary musician, Barry is a doting husband, loving father, and grandfather.
The “Stayin’ Alive” singer married Linda Gray, a former Miss Edinburgh, on September1, 1970. Together they welcomed five children: Stephen, Ashley, Travis, Michael, and Alexandra Gibb.
Their initial encounter happened while Gray was working as the host of the week for “Top of the Pops.” Barry, Maurice, and Robin had just finished performing one of their songs that became their first chart-topper when they went to a nearby studio afterward. The studio they visited happened to be where Gray was hosting.
Upon seeing each other for the first time from across the room, Barry described an instant connection happening between them. Their love became so strong that a friend who recalled meeting up with them one time at a coffee shop disclosed:
“As they looked at each other, I witnessed the promise in their eyes; their love was timeless.”
At that same meeting, Barry professed that he couldn’t live without Gray. However, while they were still courting, though the pair were very much in love and perfectly suited for each other, others did not necessarily share the same sentiment.
According to a news outlet, Barry and Gray’s relationship started causing problems with his family and manager, Robert Stigwood. However, the couple still went on to marry despite the drama and temptations, as Barry said.
The “More Than a Woman” crooner revealed that both he and Gray had many opportunities to give up on their relationship and find love with other people who made them propositions. While Evonne Goolagong attempted to score a date with the Bee Gees member at one point, Barry recalled:
“One time we were at the Record Plant in Los Angeles and Steve McQueen tried to take off with Linda on the back of his motorbike! She’s a very beautiful woman, and had just as many opportunities as me!”
When it comes to the opportunities that Barry had as an ultra-famous musician with his family band, they were in abundance. During the height of the Bee Gees’ success, the brothers reaped many fruits of their labor, including expensive luxury cars, alcohol, and drugs.
At the time, Barry was 21, while Robin and Maurice were only 18. According to the eldest brother, the aforementioned products were always readily available to them. Unfortunately, unlike Barry, Robin and Maurice struggled with alcohol and drugs.
Spending time with family is something highly cherished by the iconic musician.
While Maurice developed a drinking problem, which sent him to rehab in the early 90s, Robin struggled with drugs. Their youngest brother, Andy, who also rose to musical fame as a solo artist, developed a drug addiction, which tragically led to his death at age 30.
Maurice sadly passed away during surgery in 2003, and Robin died of cancer. Unfortunately, Barry and his relationships with his brothers had been complex and challenging when they passed.
As far as why Barry believes he did not meet the same fate as his brothers, he credits Gray for helping him stay alive. According to the last surviving Bee Gees member:
“My brothers had to deal with their demons but I was married to a lady who wasn’t going to have it…She never allowed me to go in that direction. I had to deal with my brothers being pretty much out there, but I was lucky.”
Although Barry admitted to having a bit of survivor’s guilt concerning the deaths of all his brothers, the “Night Fever” artist is blessed to live a beautiful life with his family in Miami. According to sources, Barry has lived in Miami since 1974.
He has an affinity for the beachy palm tree destination because he said it reminds him of Australia, where he lived with his parents and siblings after moving there when he was 11. His luxurious waterfront mansion is located in an exclusive country club, where his children and grandchildren live close by.
Spending time with family is something highly cherished by the iconic musician. During a 2020 interview where he discussed how he relates to various topics, like politics, wealth, religion, etc., one of the questions the interviewer asked concerned what he prays for. Barry’s response was:
“The health of my family, my kids, and my grandkids. And I pray for music to come back in a more romantic way.”
The star typically tends to keep his personal life private and has only been spotted out in public on rare occasions. One such rarity saw Barry and his wife stepping out for some afternoon errands in 2021.
Barry donned a casual look, sporting black pants, a long-sleeved blue T-shirt, and black dress shoes. His wife opted for a slightly elevated look, wearing blue jeans, mule heels, and a flowy white shirt, and carried a Louis Vuitton bag on her shoulder.
The photos showed the lovebirds in high spirits as they got inside their sleek black SUV. At the time they were seen, they were coming up on their 51st anniversary.
This year, the couple celebrated their 53rd anniversary on September 1. This is also the same day Barry turned 77.
Barry and his beloved wife, Gray, have been married for over seven decades and are still going strong. These days, they spend their time amongst their family in their waterfront mansion in Miami.
