Bee Gees are a musical group that was originally made up of three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were successful for most of their forty plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a harmonic "soft rock" act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a foremost act of the disco music era in the late 1970s. The group sang three-part tight harmonies that were instantly recognisable; Robin's clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the late 1970s and 1980s. The brothers co-wrote all of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists. They have had at least one top-ten U.S. hit in each of five decades: "I've Gotta Get a Message to You", "I Started a Joke" (1960s); "Nights on Broadway", "How Deep Is Your Love", "Stayin' Alive" (1970s); "One" (1980s); "Alone" (1990s); and "This Is Where I Came In" (2000s).
Born in the Isle of Man to English parents, the Gibb brothers lived their first few years in Chorlton, Manchester, England, then moved in the late 1950s to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, where they eventually began their musical careers. After achieving their first chart success in Australia with "Spicks and Specks" (their 12th single), they returned to the United Kingdom in January 1967 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; the presenter of the award to "Britain's first family of harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of the Beach Boys, a prominent American rock group, also a "family act" featuring three brothers whose "vocal harmonies are among the most unmistakable and enduring of the rock and roll era". The Bee Gees Hall of Fame citation says "Only Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees".
Following Maurice's sudden death on 12 January 2003, Barry and Robin Gibb ended the group after forty-five years of activity. On 7 September 2009, however, Robin announced that he and Barry had agreed that the Bee Gees would reform and perform again.
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