MAURICE GIBBAs one third of one of the most successful pop groups ever formed, Maurice Gibb was an influential musician who worked with his two brothers from the 1960s until his death on 12 January, 2003, aged 53.
Together with his twin brother Robin and older brother Barry, Maurice Gibb enjoyed a musical career that spanned four decades and saw the Bee Gees sell more than 180 million records.
As a mark of his musical success, he was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as being awarded the CBE.
His death was unexpected and resulted from complications during surgery in Florida for an intestinal problem.
Maurice Earnest Gibb was born on 22 December, 1949, in Douglas, Isle of Man. He was Robin’s younger twin by 35 minutes.
The family later moved to Manchester, where they stayed until 1958, when they moved to asuburb in Brisbane, Australia.
It was during their time in Brisbane that the three brothers formed the Bee Gees, choosing the name to stand for Brothers Gibb.
Primarily a musician, he rarely sang lead vocals or wrote lyrics for the group and his influence can be most strongly heard in their music from 1967 to 1972. During this time he shaped their sound and played instruments ranging from lead and bass guitar to piano and electronic keyboard.
Mr Gibb’s contribution to the disco music the Bee Gees are famed for was the least notable of his career and he played mainly bass guitar during this period from 1972 to 1975. The final years of his life saw him switch to mainly playing electronic keyboard.
In 1969 he married the pop star Lulu but they divorced four years later. He had two children, Adam and Samantha, with his second wife, Yvonne.
As the co-author of 19 British top ten singles, including five number ones, Mr Gibb was an influential musician and writer of pop music.
Although the brothers were awarded the CBE in 2002, Mr Gibb did not live to collect it and his son Adam joined Barry and Robin at the 2004 ceremony.
Such was his popularity that more than 200 mourners, including Michael Jackson, attended a private funeral service in Miami. His brothers later announced they would never again perform as the Bee Gees.
The brothers also had a younger brother, Andy Gibb, who had a successful solo career in the late 1970s but died in 1988.
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