Bee Gees icon Barry Gibb is awarded a knighthood by Prince Charles

Bee Gees icon Barry Gibb paid an emotional tribute to his late brothers and bandmates Maurice and Robin as he was awarded a knighthood on Tuesday.

The Night Fever hitmaker, 71, was surrounded by his family as he was awarded the knighthood by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, for his services to music and charity.

The How Deep Is Your Love singer, who is the last surviving member of the chart-topping pop trio, said he hopes his late brothers are proud of him. 

Knighthood:Bee Gees icon Barry Gibb paid an emotional tribute to his late brothers and bandmates Maurice and Robin as he was awarded a knighthood on Tuesday

Family: The Night Fever hitmaker, 71, was surrounded by his family as he was awarded the knighthood by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, for his services to music and charity (pictured with wife, Linda, and children, Michael (left), Alexandra and Ashley (right)

Family: The Night Fever hitmaker, 71, was surrounded by his family as he was awarded the knighthood by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, for his services to music and charity (pictured with wife, Linda, and children, Michael (left), Alexandra and Ashley (right)

In a moving tribute, Sir Barry said: ‘If it was not for my brothers, I would not be here.

‘If I had spent my whole life writing songs on my own, it would have meant something else altogether.

‘I hope and pray that they are aware of what has happened and that they are proud. I believe in that.’  

He said there is ‘no question’ he would have loved to have shared this special day with his brothers.   

Iconic: The How Deep Is Your Love singer, who is the last surviving member of the chart-topping pop trio, said he hopes his late brothers are proud of him (pictured in 1970)

Iconic: The How Deep Is Your Love singer, who is the last surviving member of the chart-topping pop trio, said he hopes his late brothers are proud of him (pictured in 1970)

Disco fever: Maurice (left) died from complications following an operation to correct an intestinal blockage in 2003. His twin Robin (middle), who had a lengthy battle with cancer, died in 2012.

Disco fever: Maurice (left) died from complications following an operation to correct an intestinal blockage in 2003. His twin Robin (middle), who had a lengthy battle with cancer, died in 2012.

Maurice died from complications following an operation to correct an intestinal blockage in 2003.

His twin Robin, who had a lengthy battle with cancer, died in 2012.    

Barry attended with his wife, Linda, and children, Michael, Alexandra and Ashley.

Sir Barry said he is still trying to get used to his new title, which he is finding ‘a bit surreal’.

He added: ‘It is a high award that your culture can give you and that is something I am enormously proud of.’

Dapper: The new Sir Barry looked delighted as he received his knighthood from Prince Charles

Dapper: The new Sir Barry looked delighted as he received his knighthood from Prince Charles

Arise, Sir Barry: The Bee Gees icon smiled as Prince Charles conferred the knighthood upon him 

Arise, Sir Barry: The Bee Gees icon smiled as Prince Charles conferred the knighthood upon him 

Saturday Night Fever fan: The dynamic duo enjoyed a chat before Barry was knighted 

Saturday Night Fever fan: The dynamic duo enjoyed a chat before Barry was knighted 

On the secret of his family’s success, he said: ‘I think being relentless had a lot to do with it. When you are a kid and you make up your mind to do something.

‘You have got to have failure with a lot of success and I think that is what keeps you grounded.’

Sir Barry was born on the Isle of Man before his family moved to Manchester and he grew up in Australia.

He recalled his family came back to England in 1967 ‘because we were entranced by The Beatles and we wanted to be a pop group like them’.

Glamour: Barry looked dapper in a navy suit as he posed with wife of 38 years, Linda

Glamour: Barry looked dapper in a navy suit as he posed with wife of 38 years, Linda

Falsetto finesse: The singing legend looked delighted as he posed up before the investiture 

Falsetto finesse: The singing legend looked delighted as he posed up before the investiture 

Sir Barry said: ‘You always start off by emulating somebody and that way you can find yourself and be inspired by other artists.’

Musical writer Sir Tim Rice has described Sir Barry as a ‘songwriter of staggering gifts’.

Barry was named alongside former Beatle Ringo Starr and Strictly Come Dancing Judge Darcey Bussell, in the New Year’s Honours list.

When he received the news, Gibb dedicated his knighthood to his younger brothers.

Proud moments: The star was surrounded by his family at the ceremony 

Proud moments: The star was surrounded by his family at the ceremony 

He said: ‘I am deeply honoured, humbled, and very proud. This is a moment in life to be treasured and never forgotten.

‘I want to acknowledge how responsible my brothers are for this honour. It is as much theirs as it is mine. The magic, the glow, and the rush will last me the rest of my life.’  

The trio – who wrote and performed most of the classic soundtrack for 1977’s Saturday Night Fever – all received CBEs in 2002.

The group achieved worldwide record sales of more than 200million during their career and had five No1 hits in the UK. 

Their hit singles included Massachusetts, Night Fever, Stayin Alive, Jive Talkin, How Deep Is Your Love, Words, Tragedy and You Win Again.

Catchy: The group achieved worldwide record sales of more than 200million during their career and had five No1 hits in the UK

Catchy: The group achieved worldwide record sales of more than 200million during their career and had five No1 hits in the UK

The Bee Gees are one of popular music’s most successful acts of all time, surviving family feuds, ridicule, changes in musical fashion and tragedy, when younger brother Andy Gibb died.

They enjoyed a seemingly endless string of hits in the Sixties and, after a decline in popularity, reinvented themselves as a disco act. 

They enjoyed a revival thanks to the film Saturday Night Fever in the Seventies – and again in the Nineties when they won a lifetime achievement Brit Award. 

Sound of an era: Their hit singles included Massachusetts, Night Fever, Stayin Alive, Jive Talkin, How Deep Is Your Love, Words, Tragedy and You Win Again (pictured in 1990)

Sound of an era: Their hit singles included Massachusetts, Night Fever, Stayin Alive, Jive Talkin, How Deep Is Your Love, Words, Tragedy and You Win Again (pictured in 1990)

Family: When he received the news, Gibb dedicated his knighthood to his younger brothers

Family: When he received the news, Gibb dedicated his knighthood to his younger brothers

With their tight falsetto harmonies and funky beats, they not only scored a series of hits as a family band but also wrote smash hits for some of the biggest names in showbusiness. 

Successes for other stars include the Streisand tracks Guilty and Woman In Love, Chain Reaction by Diana Ross as well as Heartbreaker and All The Love In The World by Dionne Warwick.

Destiny’s Child had a hit with Emotion, while Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton enjoyed success with Islands In The Stream. 

Sir Barry is still making music and performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2017.    

Barry was joined at the palace by restaurateur and author Rick Stein, who received a CBE for Services to the Economy. 

Rick, 71, was joined at the Palace by his wife, Sas Stein and her children Zach and Olivia.

Rick said ‘I am so proud to receive a CBE for Services to the Economy. I think that the hospitality industry, that I so much enjoy working in, is a force for good not only in the UK but everywhere. 

‘To be able to travel the world as a British man, fascinated by the food and culture wherever I go and bringing it back home is a dream job, but also reinforces the importance of everyone sitting down and enjoying good food together.’ 

Acclaimed: Barry was joined at the palace by restaurateur and author Rick Stein, who received a CBE for Services to the Economy

Acclaimed: Barry was joined at the palace by restaurateur and author Rick Stein, who received a CBE for Services to the Economy

 



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