At a Glance
- Barry Gibb and wife Linda Gray have five children: Stephen, Ashley, Travis, Michael, and Alexandra
- Three sons collaborate musically with their famous father
- One son chose real estate over the spotlight
- Why it matters: Shows how a music icon balanced global fame with family life across five decades
Barry Gibb built a legendary music career while raising five children with wife Linda Gray. From touring with infants to collaborating on albums with his adult sons, the Bee Gees founder kept family at the center of his life.
The Early Years
Barry married Linda Gray in 1970, just as the Bee Gees were gaining momentum. Their first son, Stephen, arrived on Dec. 1, 1973. Ashley followed on Sept. 8, 1977, Travis on Jan. 10, 1981, Michael on Dec. 1, 1984, and Alexandra completed the family on Dec. 29, 1991.
The family split time between Miami and London. Barry told News Of Losangeles in 1989 that his children traveled on tour with him. “I can’t imagine what it is like to be a successful pop star without a family to support you,” he said.
When record company disputes halted Bee Gees releases for eight years during the 1980s, Barry viewed the break as positive. “They were the happiest years of our lives because we were raising our kids,” he told News Of Losangeles. “We were writing and producing songs for other people, which didn’t take up 100 percent of our time.”
The Musical Sons
Stephen Gibb, 52, took up guitar at 13 and played in metal bands 58 and Black Label Society. He joined his father’s 2013 Mythology Tour across Australia and New Zealand alongside cousin Samantha. “It’s a thrill to look left and see Sami and to look to my right and see my eldest son,” Barry told The Australian. “And they are both fantastic.”
Stephen and Ashley co-wrote Barry’s 2016 album In the Now. All 15 tracks feature their songwriting contributions. “They give me that youth,” Barry told Billboard. “They give me that fire.” Stephen has been married to Gloria Levas since 2002, and they have two children: Angus and Nina.
Ashley Gibb, 48, focused on tennis before music. His songwriting break came in 2005 when Barry invited him and Stephen to co-write for Barbra Streisand’s Guilty Pleasures album. Despite Ashley’s limited experience-his only prior songwriting was an amateur tune for a 1990s girlfriend-Barry valued the collaboration.
Ashley married Therese Gibb, and they have a son, Lucas.
Different Paths
**Travis Gibb, 45, chose real estate over music. He works as a real estate agent in Miami, where he spent part of his childhood. Travis married Stacy Bash Gibb, and they have two children: Layla and Liam. His Instagram features family hiking trips and birthday celebrations.
Michael Gibb, 41, pursued acting instead of music. Barry named him after godfather Michael Jackson. Michael appeared in films including Stan the Man and Buddies.
Alexandra Gibb, 34, stays out of the spotlight but influenced one of Barry’s most memorable pop culture moments. She convinced him to appear on Saturday Night Live‘s “The Barry Gibb Talk Show” sketch with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. Barry initially wanted to decline the invitation.
“When we walked on set, I could see these guys are pissing their pants, they are so excited he’s in the room,” Stephen told Billboard. “He’s oblivious. He doesn’t get it. It’s adorable.”
Grandfather Years
Barry embraced grandfatherhood with enthusiasm. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life,” he told The Guardian in 2013. “I’ve got seven grandchildren. I get to re-live watching Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. I spend a lot of hours being happy about what happened to us, because it may never have happened, any of those hits.”
Stephen marked his parents’ 50th anniversary on Instagram in 2020: “Happy 50th Anniversary to these two crazy kids and happy 74th birthday @officialbarrygibb. You both continue to inspire and motivate me to be a better man. I could not love you more.”
The Gibb children represent different approaches to life with a famous parent-some following into music, others forging separate careers, all maintaining close family ties that span continents and decades.
Key Takeaways
- Barry Gibb prioritized family during both peak fame and career challenges
- Three sons chose music careers, collaborating professionally with their father
- Two children pursued entirely different fields: real estate and acting
- The family maintained close relationships across multiple countries and decades
