Maurice Gibb

Not to be confused with Maurie Gibb.

Maurice Gibb
CBE
Maurice Gibb (Bee Gees) - TopPop 1973.png
Gibb on TopPop in 1973
Born
Maurice Ernest Gibb

(1949-12-22)22 December 1949
Douglas, Isle of Man
Died12 January 2003(2003-01-12) (aged 53)
Miami Beach, Florida, US
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active1955–2002
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1969; div. 1973)​
  • Yvonne Spenceley
    ​
    (m. 1975)​
Children2
FatherHugh Gibb
Relatives
Musical career
OriginManchester, England[1]
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass guitar
  • keyboards
Labels
Polydor
Formerly of
Signature

Maurice Ernest Gibb CBE (/ˈmɒrɪs/; 22 December 1949 – 12 January 2003) was a British musician and songwriter. He achieved worldwide fame as a member of the pop group Bee Gees.[2] Although his elder brother Barry Gibb and twin brother Robin Gibb were the group's main lead singers, most of their albums included at least one or two songs featuring Maurice's lead vocals, including "Lay It on Me", "Country Woman" and "On Time". The Bee Gees are one of the most successful pop-rock groups of all time.[3]

Gibb started his music career in 1955 in Manchester, England at the age of five joining the skiffle-rock and roll group the Rattlesnakes,[1] which later evolved into the Bee Gees in 1958 after spending three years in Manchester when they moved to Australia.[4] They returned to England, where they achieved worldwide fame. In 2002, the Bee Gees were appointed as CBEs for their "contribution to music". Following Gibb's unexpected death in 2003, his son collected his award at Buckingham Palace in 2004.[5]

Maurice Gibb's earliest musical influences included the Everly Brothers, Cliff Richard, and Paul Anka; the Mills Brothers and the Beatles were significant later influences.[6] During the Bee Gees' temporary break-up in 1969–1970, Maurice released his first solo single, "Railroad", but his first solo album, The Loner, has never been released.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference around was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference released was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "The Bee Gees biography". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 1997. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  4. ^ OMalley, Brendon (11 January 2009). "Bee Gees real Brisbane music pioneers". Courier Mail. Archived from the original on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
  5. ^ "'Bitter-sweet' trip to palace for Bee Gees". The Daily Telegraph. 28 May 2004. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  6. ^ "The Bee Gees Influences". Shmoop. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2014.