Sir Barry Gibb of Bee Gees made honorary companion to the Order of Australia

Barry Gibb, the sole surviving brother of legendary pop group the Bee Gees, has been appointed an honorary companion of the Order of Australia.

Barry Gibb performs with Olivia Newton-John in New York in 1979. Picture: Getty Images

Barry Gibb, the sole surviving brother of legendary pop group the Bee Gees, has been appointed an honorary companion of the Order of Australia.

Gibb can add the honour – recognising his longstanding support and development of the Australian music industry and his philanthropy – to the multiple Grammys he has amassed, including the Legend Award, Hall of Fame Award and the Lifetime Achievement. He’s sold 220 million records, is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has had number one hits in the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s.

Gibbs moved to Australia when he was 11, and he and his brothers were discovered by a local DJ performing between races at a speedway in Brisbane.

Gibb and brothers Maurice and Robin were their skint family’s main breadwinners but, failing to find success in the land down under, they packed their bags and headed to England.

Their single, Spicks and Specks, was released just a few days later.

Gibb lives in Miami and has said he likes Florida’s biggest city because the climate reminds him of Australia.

Maurice died in 2003 at 53 from cardiac arrest caused by complications relating to a twisted intestine. Robin died in 2012 after battling cancer and undergoing intestinal surgery.

The youngest of the Gibb clan, Andy, who had a successful solo career, died at age 30 in 1988 after developing heart problems due to a cocaine addiction.

In an interview ahead of the release of the documentary on the Bee Gees, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Barry Gibb said he’d learnt how to roll on after losing his brothers.