Barry Gibb

Though often derided by media pundits for his falsetto voice and matinee idol looks, pop music fans knew that Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees was one of the most successful singer-songwriters in the history of the medium. From 1959 to 2001, Gibb and his brothers Robin and Maurice produced a string of hit songs and albums that sold an estimated 220 million units, a figure rivaled only by the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. As the Bee Gees' chief songwriter and producer, as well as co-lead singer with Robin, Gibb guided the group through four decades of career highs and lows, from their melancholy hits of the 1960s like "To Love Somebody" and "Lonely Days" to the runaway success of the "Saturday Night Fever" (1977) soundtrack and a triumphant comeback in the 1990s, which culminated in their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During this period, Gibb was also an in-demand writer and producer who spun gold for other artists, including Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers and Diana Ross. With nine No. 1 singles with the Bee Gees and countless Top 10 and Top 40 hits to his credit, Barry Gibb's status as one of the most outstanding figures in world pop history remained untouched, even after five decades.