November 25, 2013

As Thanksgiving is upon us, I am foregoing the usual story and would like to give thanks for this crazy Bee Gee world and all that is attached to it, so here are my thoughts. I encourage everyone to express their thanks as well. I’d love to hear them!

In Thanksgiving—-one year in…….

What are we grateful for this Thanksgiving of 2013? Other than our personal top three private blessings of family, friends and health, what are our “Gibb thanks”?

First and foremost, I give thanks for the body of brilliant Bee Gee work, the music that moves us. How does one really say thank you for the albums, the seemingly endless videos of performances, the interviews, the unreleased songs and the hundreds of photographs, all of which help us pump those endorphins that keep us motivated and positive about life. It’s a learning and loving experience every day.

After expressing this particular thank you, the others share equal space in my mind and tumble out as follows:

For each Bee Gee page on Facebook, the creativity and dedication shown by the people who run these sites makes me wonder how they have time to eat, sleep or take showers! The work involved is as demanding as working a full-time job. I think fans worldwide agree that we look to Marion Adriaensen as the benchmark expert. Not only does she keep the Gibb Brothers International website current (which is a daunting thought), she also keeps the Facebook site multi -dimensional, interesting and fun on a daily basis. Nadine, Did, Enzo, Renee, Everlasting, and all of the special fans who I admire for their loving work ethic to their pages, deserve many thanks.

Having been on my solo journey with the brothers Gibb for decades through concerts, music and reserach and purposely remaining off of social media because of work demands, this past year has been personally gratifying as I’ve expanded my relationship with fans beyond the ones who have shared their stories with me face-to-face. The result has been a gift beyond my wildest imaginations. So many have opened their hearts and exposed their thoughts about the brothers and have reached out in friendship to me. I am in awe and grateful.

More recently, the Nashville experiences, both at MTSU and the Opry, continue to provide me with gratitude moments. Memories of not only Barry’s performances but interactions with fans are forever to be treasured. Some days the messages from fans are a tonic as well as an inspiration.

Lastly, I think of each of the four brothers and their families. Andy Gibb remains a man who is beloved 25 years after his passing. His affect on fans is heartwarming, and they are grateful for every song. Maurice Gibb fans run the gamut from musicians who appreciate his gifts to those with personal challenges who admire his strength. Robin Gibb fans are as spiritual as they come and appreciate his charity work and open heart as much as they do his beautiful voice. Lastly, to Barry Gibb, there aren’t enough words in Webster’s to show the appreciation for what Barry is doing for Bee Gee fans. Putting himself on stage in that solitary position takes courage. As the lone Gibb, it must be as much terror-inducing as it is enriching. “Alone” (and I don’t mean the song) is a scary word, but hopefully the love that fans are expressing by attending the concerts has uplifted Barry and will give him a foundation to continue performing. I pray especially for his health and welfare. Without these, he can’t work. He hit the lotto when it came to family support and the partnership of the best wife a man could dream of loving. I don’t know about anyone else, but I hope for new music in the years ahead from a man with incredible creative talents. What could be more fun than the fans getting new songs from Barry?

Although most fans still feel the loss of Barry’s three younger brothers as an open wound that just can’t seem to heal, the music still provides riches that give us joy and hope as we carry on and try to celebrate life. So my question for fans is, “How do you express your Bee Gee attitude of gratitude?”