Andy Gibb was an English singer and the youngest brother of the legendary band members Maurice Gibb, Barry and Robin of the Bee Gees.
Andrew Roy Gibb was born in March 5, 1958 in Manchester England to Hugh and Barbara Gibb. The Gibbs family emigrated to Australia when Andy was six months old.
Andy Gibb started his career by playing in Spanish tourist clubs in the islands of Lbiza. He was lured to join the Bee Gees. However, he was unable to join them due to the difference in ages. He was more than 11 years younger to his elder brother Barry.
After performing in Spain and Isle of Man, he returned to Australia where his parents lived in 1975. Here he started enhancing his skills as a singer and songwriter. He recorded his own compositions and released a single “Words and Music”. The single was released by veteran Col Joye’s ATA label. The single reached Top Five in 1976 Sydney music charts.
The success of “Words and Music” helped Andy build his musical career to a large extent. Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees manager invited Andy Gibb to sign a label at the RSO Records. Gibbs moved to Miami Beach, Florida to work with his brother and his producers on his single.
A year before Gibb left to Australia, he married his girlfriend, Kim Reeder and had a daughter Peta Jaye. However, before the child was born, Gibb and Jaye split and had a divorce a year later. It is reported that Andy Gibbmet his daughter just once after she was born.
Moving on to United States, Gibb became hugely popular. The song, “I Just Want to Be Your Everything”, was a major hit while his first album Flowing Rivers sold more than a million copies. The album also was listed among the US Top 20. The song “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water” was a huge hit in 1978. “Night Fever” surpassed “Stayin’ Alive” in the top US Charts.
These huge successes were preceeded with his second album Shadow Dancing. This album achieved a platinum status with the single running seven weeks at the Number One position in 1978. The songs “An Everlasting Love” and “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away” were sold a million copies.
However, due to this huge successes, fame and accomplishments, Andy Gibb gave way to drugs. His drug addiction affected his career and led him to the down fall. His relationships with Victoria Principal, Tai Babilonia and Donna Rice further worsened his career. He was now into serious cocaine addiction.
Andy Gibb performed with Andrew Lloyd Webbers Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Pirates of Penzane and a co-host in Solid Gold a television music show. However, as the drug intake worsened, he was considered unreliable and was kept aside by producers and musicians.
In March 1988, after celebrating his 30th birthday, Andy was admitted in John Radcliffe Hospital for chest pain. By now his heart had been weakened and inflated due to cocaine intake. Just five days after his 30th birthday, the great teen idol who had accomplished great achievements died of myocarditis. Though he had earned millions in sales through his music, Andy Gibb became bankrupt a year before he passed away.