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Andrew Roy Gibb was born in Manchester,
England, on March 5, l9S8. His mother Barbara was a singer and
father Hugh was a drummer and the leader of a big band. His family
immigrated to Australia when Andy was 6 months old. In 1967, the
family moved back to England, in response to the rising popularity
of Andy's older brothers, the Bee Gees. In his childhood, he was
always the most lovely brother in the Gibb family and was taken
tender care by his elder "Bee Gees" brothers.
In 1970, the family took up residence on the tiny island of Ibiza, off the coast of Spain. It is here that Andy, at age 12, was given his first guitar by brother Barry. By age 13, Andy was performing, at a local tourist bar, occasionally with harmonic accompaniment supplied by his brothers. However, he was unpaid because of his age and English citizenship. But still he was happy because he enjoyed singing with his beloved brothers. |
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By 1973, Andy had formed a band, which for a year had kept themselves gainfully employed by playing at the island's two music clubs. After disbanding, Andy made a move back to Australia, and in little more than a year, was in great demand. His first single, a self-written song called "Words & Music" made the top 5 in the nation's capital city. It was the time that Andy gained his first taste of success. In July of 1976, Andy was married to a young Australian woman named Kim. On January 25, 1978, a daughter, Peta Reeder-Gibb, was born to Andy and Kim. During his honeymoon, Andy was asked to fly to Miami to record a few demonstration tapes for Bee Gees manager Robert Stigwood. After a few days in a Miami studio, the tapes were ready and submitted to RSO. |
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A short time later, Andy received word that Mr. Stigwood liked the tapes and thought it was time for Andy to record an album for international release. A star was born then. Soon after the release of "Flowing Rivers" in the summer of 1977, Andy embarked on his first American concert tour, and it was a huge success. Andy received Grammy nominations in the categories of Best New Artist of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance for "I Just Want To Be Your Everything." "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" reached the number one spot on best selling charts and both were certified gold. His second album, "Shadow Dancing" was certified platinum within weeks of its release. |
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An extensive
headlining concert tour followed, and Andy was deemed one of
America's top entertainers. The title cut, Andy's third number one
single in succession, was a best-selling chart single before the
album was ever released.
"After Dark" was a powerful collection of songs, and promised to be as successful as his earlier work. It was produced by the now-legendary hit-making team of Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson and Albhy Galuten. Andy was joined on "After Dark" by a number of outstanding musicians, including family friend Olivia Newton-John. A fourth album, "Greatest Hits," was also released. This album featured his last top 40 single "Me, without you". In the early eighties Gibb co hosted the syndicated TV show Solid Gold and appeared in various stage productions. His romantic involvement with actress Victoria Principal was a staple in the news tabloids. After his break-up with Principal, Gibb turned to drugs to ease the pain and was admitted to the Betty Ford Clinic for treatment of cocaine abuse. In 1987, he filed for bankruptcy in Miami, declaring less than $50,000 in assets and more then $1 million in debt. With the great support of his family, friends and fans, Andy cured his broken heart and was ready for a new horizon. By January 1988, a strong comeback seemed close at hand. Gibb's bankruptcy had been discharged. He had signed a new record deal with Island Records and was scheduled to start recording in the spring. According to a spokeswoman for Island Records, "Gibb was admitted to the John Radeliffe Hospital in Oxford on Monday for observation after complaining of stomach pains." He died the following Thursday, March 10, 1988, from an inflammatory heart virus. He was thirty years old. After Andy's passing, a fifth album was released in 1990, another Greatest Hits album, which included a song, "Man on Fire," which he had been working on and was planning to release on a new album he was to record. |