<P> The Bee Gees have sold more than 220 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best - selling artists of all time . They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997; the presenter of the award to "Britain's first family of harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of The Beach Boys, another "family act" featuring three harmonising brothers . The Bee Gees' Hall of Fame citation says, "Only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees ." </P> <P> Following Maurice's death in January 2003, at the age of 53, Barry and Robin retired the group's name after 45 years of activity . In 2009, Robin announced that he and Barry had agreed the Bee Gees would re-form and perform again . Robin died in May 2012, aged 62, after a prolonged struggle with cancer and other health problems, leaving Barry as the only surviving member of the group's final line - up . </P> <P> In 1955, the brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb moved back to their father Hugh Gibb's hometown of Chorlton - cum - Hardy, Manchester, England, and formed a skiffle / rock - and - roll group, the Rattlesnakes, which consisted of Barry on guitar and vocals, Robin and Maurice on vocals, and friends Paul Frost on drums and Kenny Horrocks on tea - chest bass . In December 1957, the boys began to sing in harmony . The story is told that they were going to lip sync to a record in the local Gaumont cinema (as other children had done on previous weeks), but as they were running to the theatre, the fragile shellac 78 - RPM record broke . The brothers had to sing live and received such a positive response from the audience that they decided to pursue a singing career . In May 1958, the Rattlesnakes were disbanded when Frost and Horrocks left, so the Gibb brothers then formed Wee Johnny Hayes and the Blue Cats, with Barry as Johnny Hayes . </P> <P> In August 1958, the Gibb family, including older sister Lesley and infant brother Andy, emigrated to Redcliffe, just north - east of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia . The young brothers began performing to raise pocket money . They were introduced to leading Brisbane radio DJ Bill Gates by speedway promoter and driver Bill Goode, who had hired the brothers to entertain the crowd at the Redcliffe Speedway in 1960 . The crowd at the speedway would throw money onto the track for the boys, who generally performed during the interval of meetings (usually on the back of a truck that drove around the track), and in a deal with Goode, any money they collected from the crowd they were allowed to keep . Gates renamed them the BGs (later changed to "Bee Gees") after his, Goode's and Barry Gibb's initials . The name was not specifically a reference to "Brothers Gibb", despite popular belief . </P>

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