79-Year-Old Disco Legend Forced to Confirm He Was Still Alive After Viral Hoax

Fans of one of disco's most enduring voices briefly feared the worst after a viral internet rumor falsely claimed that Bee Gees frontman Barry Gibb had died.

The 79-year-old music legend was forced to confirm he was alive and well after a fake "R.I.P. Barry Gibb" Facebook page began to circulate online, sparking confusion among fans of the falsetto singer behind classics like "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever" and "How Deep Is Your Love."

According to TMZ, family sources confirmed that the Bee Gees legend is "healthy, happy, and living life at his Miami-area home" despite the false reports.

Gibb rose to fame as part of the iconic trio, along with his brothers Maurice and Robin. Barry is the last living member of the band of brothers: Maurice passed away in 2003, and Robin died in 2012. Their youngest brother, Andy - who was not a member of the band - died in 1988 at age 30.

Throughout their decades on stage, the Bee Gees earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, five Grammy Awards - including for Album of the Year for 1979's Saturday Night Fever - and were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Grammys.

"We never thought of ourselves as Bee Gees-we thought of ourselves as the four brothers," he said at the time. "Me being the eldest, I was always watching out for the rest of them. And I miss them very much … I always imagined we would sit around in our 80s and laugh and joke. But it just didn't work out that way….I think I've had enough of death to last me a lifetime."

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 9:00 PM.