Barry Gibb, the last member of the famous band The Bee Gees, has made a new album called Greenfields. This time, he took the Bee Gees’ songs to Nashville, a city that loves music and real, heartfelt songs. Barry said, “I love Nashville because it’s all about music that matters.” He worked with a music helper named Dave Cobb and some big Nashville stars like Jason Isbell, Alison Krauss, Brandi Carlile, and Keith Urban to make the songs sound new and special.
When someone asked Barry how he picked the songs for the album, he said, “I let the singers choose!” So, the band Little Big Town picked “Lonely Days,” Sheryl Crow chose “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” and Dolly Parton picked “Words.” They all had fun making the music together.
The album was made in a famous place called RCA Studio B in Nashville, where lots of music legends like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton recorded their songs. Barry thought it was amazing to be there. Dolly even told him she sang two of her biggest songs, “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene,” in that same studio on the same day! That made it extra special for Barry.
Barry and his brothers, Robin and Maurice, grew up listening to American country music, even though they were born in Britain and raised in Australia. Barry loves country music and has made some big country hits with other singers, like “Rest Your Love On Me” with Conway Twitty and “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. He wrote “Islands in the Stream” with his brothers for another singer, Diana Ross, but it became a huge hit for Kenny and Dolly.
A new movie about The Bee Gees, called “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” tells the story of their amazing music journey. Barry said it’s hard for him to watch the whole movie because it reminds him of his brothers, who are no longer here. Robin passed away in 2012, and Maurice passed away in 2003. Barry misses them a lot because they were always together, making music as a team. He said the first year after Robin was gone was really tough, and he felt lost without his brothers.
The movie shows how The Bee Gees became famous in the 1960s with sweet songs and then changed their style in the 1970s with fun songs like “Jive Talkin’.” People were surprised because it was so different from their earlier music! They also made music for a movie called Saturday Night Fever, with huge hits like “Stayin’ Alive” and “How Deep Is Your Love.” Barry said “Stayin’ Alive” was inspired by the exciting energy of New York City, and “How Deep Is Your Love” came to him while he was eating dinner one day.
Barry is keeping The Bee Gees’ music alive with his new album. He’s the only Bee Gee left now, and it’s been a big change for him to perform without his brothers. A few years ago, he started singing on his own for the first time. When someone asked if he wants to keep performing, Barry said, “If people want me to, I’d love to do it. It’s a little lonely without my brothers, but I still try to make it fun.”
Even though he misses his brothers, Barry says he’s learned a lot from everything he’s been through. His new album Greenfields is a way to share The Bee Gees’ music with everyone in a fresh, new way. If you want to hear these songs, you can listen to the album or watch Barry talk about it in videos online!
