Second Bee Gees star dies within days of bandmate

Drummer Dennis Bryon has died aged 76, making him the second former member of The Bee Gees to pass away in the past week.

Drummer Dennis Bryon has died aged 76, making him the second Bee Gees star to pass away in the past week.

Bryon’s death last Thursday came just four days before the death of fellow Bee Gees drummer Colin “Smiley” Petersen aged 78.

Blue Weaver – who played alongside him in another band named Amen Corner – announced Bryon’s death in Nashville, Tennessee in a social media post.

He said: “I am lost for words at the moment. Dennis has passed away.

“Kayte, Dennis’s wife has just called me and asked if I would let all friends and fans know. This was such a shock.

“Dennis has been my friend since we were in our first band together age 15.

“His great drumming will always Stay Alive.”

Welsh drummer Dennis Bryon played drums on the Bee Gees’ biggest hits, including Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever. Picture: Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images

Bryon played the drums on some of the Bee Gee’s biggest disco hits, including Stayin’ Alive and Night Fever.

He appeared in all Bee Gees recordings and live shows in the band’s 1970s heyday.

The drummer was born in Cardiff in 1949 and first performed with psychedelic band Amen Corner before joining the Bee Gees.

It comes after original Bee Gees drummer Petersen died on November 18.

Petersen played the drums on hits like Massachusetts, To Love Somebody and Words.

The Best of Bee Gees announced: “It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our dear friend Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen.

“He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect.

“Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship. We love you Col. Rest in Peace.”

Amen Corner (clockwise from centre): Lead singer Andy Fairweather Low, tenor saxophonist Mike Smith, keyboard player Blue Weaver, guitar player Neil Jones, drummer Dennis Bryon, bass player Clive Taylor and saxophonist Allan Jones, circa 1967. Picture: Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images)

Bryon’s Amen Corner bandmate Blue Weaver (left) shared the sad news on social media. Picture: Instagram

Petersen began his career as a young actor starring in the Australian film Smiley, which gave him his nickname.

In a 2022 interview with Jason Barnard on The Strange Brew Podcast he explained the band’s creative process.

He said: “We’d often go into the studio without a song, which gave me the chance to experiment with tempos and rhythms.

“Those tracks had a real spontaneity because we worked on them as a group.

“We never recorded our parts separately. It was all done together with the orchestra coming in later.”

Australian Bee Gess drummer Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen, who also passed away this week, is seen (second from left) in this 1967 photo with Barry Gibb, Vince Melouney, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb. Picture: Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images

Describing his approach to drumming, Colin said: “I was really quite imaginative with my playing, but there were a lot of lot of drummers at the time that were technically much more advanced than I was.

“Look, Chuck Berry only probably knew four chords, right? So sometimes when you’re limited you’ve got to be creative.

“I think you can overdo the technique and you get to a stage where you can’t see the wood for the trees.

“I’ve always been a song guy with drumming.”

In recent years, Petersen worked with The Best of the Bee Gees tribute show.

He is survived by his ex-wife Joanne and their sons Jaime and Ben.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission