British singer and songwriter Robin Gibb, who formed the famous Bee Gees group with his brothers Maurice and Barry, passed away on Sunday night after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.
He died at 10.46 pm, his family said, attributing his death to his long battle with cancer and his recent intestinal surgery. “The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away on Sunday 20 May, 2012 at 10.46 pm following his long battle with cancer and intestinal sur-gery. They have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time,” the statement from the family said. The family has not released any details of the funeral of the singer who was born on the Isle of Man on December 22, 1949.
The Bee Gees epitomised the best of disco and his death came just days after that of the disco queen Donna Summer.
With his death, the only surviving Bee Gees brother is Barry Gibb as Robin’s twin brother Maurice Gibb died in 2003 of a heart atta-ck after intestinal surgery.
Former British PMs Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were huge fans of the Bee Gees. In a tribute to Robin Gibb, Mr Blair described him as a friend.