The Bee Gees
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb: guitar & vocals
b. 1 September 1947 ['46?], Douglas, Isle of Man
Robin Hugh Gibb: vocals
b. 22 December 1949, Isle of Man
Maurice Ernest Gibb: vocals
b. 22 December 1949, Isle of Man.
d. 12 January 2003, Miami, Florida
Vince Melouney: guitar
Colin Peterson: drums
Although the Bee Gees of the seventies and the film, Saturday Night Fever, do not seem particularly folk like, their early releases have a strong story component that is very much in the style of traditional broadside ballads. Moreover, their emphasis on harmonies and willingness to experiment with different instrument combinations puts them in the same general aesthetic as artists like Donovan.
Of course, many who would describe themselves as folk artists in this era probably would not include the Bee Gees among their cohort. Nevertheless, the Bee Gees had a distinct impact on the music of their milieu.
Early 1950s
Manchester. Their father, (Hugh Gibb a British bandleader/drummer) and mother (singer) entertain their kids and eventually note that the kids are also pretty entertaining. In particular, the brothers Gibb like the harmonies of the American singing family singing group, the Mills Brothers. The brothers make their initial appearances with their parents, but soon cinema owners hired the boys on their own to entertain between films.
 
1958 (ages 11 and 9)
Brisbane, Australia. However, like many others in post-war Britain, the family moved to Australia to look for work and possibly a warmer climate. They had already appeared in the Manchester area, but Australia allowed them to grow and gain confidence.
With the growth in the popularity of American popular music, they begin performing Everly Brothers material attracting the attention of a local disk jockey, Bill Gates. He begins to promote them and their popularity grows in the Brisbane region.
1960 (ages 13 and 11)

March. Eventually calling themselves the Bee Gees (Brothers Gibb), they get their own local 1/2 hour television show.

1962 (ages 15 and 13)
They sign with Australia's Festival Records and release a number of unsuccessful singles, even though they are a popular group in Australia. Eventually, other artists record their material too and, by the middle of the decade, the Australian press votes them the nation's most successful songwriters.
 
1967 (ages 20 and 18)
January. The brothers and sisters of the Gibb family move back to England, the Bee Gees sending their tapes and their most recent single ("Spicks and Specks") ahead to Brian Epstein's NEMS Enterprises. Robert Stigwood shortly afterwards signed them to a five-year contract. The brothers added two Australians: Colin Peterson (drums) and Vince Melouney (bass) for the purposes of touring.
March. "Spicks and Specks" / "I Am the World" (Polydor 56727). Unbeknownst to the Bee Gees, Festival Records leased the rights to their Australian single to Polydor for UK release.
April. Bee Gees First [Polydor, UK LP release]
27 April. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" / "I Can't See Nobody" [Polydor 56161; charts, UK #12]
May. The Bee Gees appear on Top of the Pops

12 July. "To Love Somebody" / "Close Another Door" (Polydor 56178; charts; UK #41)

20 September. "Massachusetts" / "Barker of the U.F.O." (Polydor 56192; charts; UK #1)
22 November. "World" / "Sir Geoffrey Saved the World" (Polydor 56220; UK #9)
 
1968 (ages 21 and 19)
31 January. "Words" / "Sinking Ships" (Polydor 56229; charts; UK #8)
27 March. "Jumbo" / "The Singer Sang His Song" (Polydor 56242; charts; UK #25)
7 August. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" / "Kitty Can" (Polydor 56273; charts; UK #1)
Art Rock Schedule Folk Freaks
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