Introduction:
In the rich tapestry of 20th-century music, few voices resonate with as much quiet reverence as Barry Gibb’s—both in sound and in reflection. Best known as the creative force behind the Bee Gees, Gibb’s career was not just a product of chart-topping pop brilliance but deeply shaped by the soul-stirring voices of American music legends. In a candid recollection of the late 1960s, Barry Gibb painted a vivid picture of discovery, admiration, and creative awakening—a time when the transatlantic lines between soul, rock, and pop were being blurred, rewritten, and reimagined.
Gibb’s first transformative musical moment in America came in 1967 when, alongside manager Robert Stigwood and industry legend Ahmet Ertegun, he attended a performance at Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater. Otis Redding was headlining that night, joined by Sam & Dave and other powerhouses of soul. As Gibb recalls, “We were probably the only white people in an audience of about a thousand to two thousand Black people, and it was amazing.” But this wasn’t just a night out—it was a pivotal meeting of minds. Otis had been in discussions with Stigwood about a collaboration, and from that spark of dialogue emerged “To Love Somebody,” a song originally intended for Redding, though ultimately immortalized by the Bee Gees themselves.
Gibb’s admiration for Otis Redding is clear. “He was the first real soul singer to emerge from that early Black music movement, and he left a massive impression on us,” Gibb says. “You could hear it in Robin’s voice—Otis changed the way we sang.” And it wasn’t just Redding. Sam Cooke’s records were staples in the Gibb household, with Barry admitting that he and his brothers often preferred Black artists to their white counterparts. “We liked to sing that way,” he said. “Not to copy, but to feel.”
This honest reflection touches on a broader cultural truth of the era: the phenomenon now known as “crossover.” Gibb recognized the beauty and complexity of this musical exchange between Black and white artists and audiences. “Black artists sold records to white people, and white artists sold records to Black people. It still goes on today,” he observed. “It’s a mutual appreciation, not a marketing tactic.”
Beyond soul, Gibb’s memories of icons like Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and Buddy Holly remind us how interconnected those formative years were. Elvis’s version of “Words” brought the Bee Gees’ songwriting full circle, while Jimi Hendrix—“a warm and quiet man offstage”—even attended Barry’s 21st birthday party. These weren’t just musical icons to Gibb—they were part of a lived and deeply personal experience.
Ultimately, Gibb reflects on why remembering these artists matters. “There’s a little bit of immortality in pop music,” he says. “It makes people live forever in a certain way.” And as he speaks, it becomes clear: these memories aren’t simply nostalgic—they’re the roots of a musical legacy that continues to shape generations.