Why Name It That?: The Bee Gees

07 May 2010

The Bee Gees

The Bee Gees began as 60's soft-rockers, but are now best known for their disco-era smash hits popularized in the film Saturday Night Fever.

This singing trio of brothers — Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb have had forty years of success in music. Their first act was known for their harmonic "soft rock" in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The second act was as stars of the disco music era in the late 1970s.

Robin's clear vibrato lead was the voice of note in their earlier hits, and Barry's falsetto became a signature sound during the disco years.

They moved from England to Australia when they were children and began their musical careers there. The Brothers Gibb - The BG's - became the Bee Gees. After early chart success in Australia, they returned to the United Kingdom where producer Robert Stigwood promoted them to a worldwide audience.

It has been estimated that the Bee Gees' record sales total more than 200 million, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.