Andy Gibb outshines older brother Barry with jaw dropping solo of Bee Gees’ ‘Words’ in 1981

4 March 2022, 14:19

Andy was performing a a variety show for President Ronald Reagan in 1981 when he got on stage and stunned the crowd with a spectacular rendition of 'Words' by Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb.

Andy Gibb gave a sensational performance of the Bee Gees' hit song 'Words' when he was just 23-years-old.

The young star had been invited to take part in the Command Performance, a two-hour TV special tribute to President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

Broadcast on NBC, the variety show at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. featured the great and the good of 1981's music scene.

Andy Gibb had been invited to take part in the Command Performance, a two-hour TV special tribute to President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan. Picture: NBC

The youngest Gibb is the spitting image of older brother Barry in the video and even replicates the Bee Gees star's impressive vibrato and falsetto range, while giving the song a twist all of his own. Picture: NBC

Introduced by his girlfriend and host of the show, Victoria Principal, Andy Gibb took to the stage and blew the audience away with his own version of Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb's 1968 hit, 'Words'.

And while each of the Gibb's have their own distinct sounds, the comparison between Andy and one brother in particular is unmistakable.

The youngest Gibb is the spitting image of older brother Barry, who usually takes the lead vocals on the hit when singing with brothers Maurice and Robin.

Andy even replicates the Bee Gees star's impressive vibrato and falsetto vocal registers, while giving the song a twist all of his own.

After singing 'Words' Andy Gibb sang his own song, '(Me) Without You' before other stars took to the stage to pay tribute to the president. Picture: NBC

Andy Gibb fought a battle with drug addiction all of his life and would eventually succumb to it, dying from a heart attack caused by cocaine use when he was just 30-years-old. Picture: Getty

After singing 'Words' Andy sang his own song, '(Me) Without You' before other stars took to the stage to pay tribute to the president.

Performances included Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash singing 'Goin' to Jackson', Andy Williams singing a medley of his greatest hits and Luciano Pavarotti giving a stunning performance of Tosti's 'La Serenata'.

Viewers of the video agree, with many taking to YouTube to praise the talents of the youngest Gibb.

"He had the vibrato of Robin and the falsetto of Barry all on one voice...beautiful boys," one said.

See the full video of Andy Gibb singing 'Words' by the Bee Gees below:

Andy Gibb Words

Andy Gibb (far left) performing with the Bee Gees in 1979. Picture: Getty

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"His resemblance to Barry is striking, both in body and voice," another wrote: "In all of the years I've listened and loved the Bee Gees, I did not know Andy sang this song. I have chills. He was/is so beautiful!"

"It is unbelievable how this man resembles his eldest brother and how their voices sound alike." a fan concluded ."What a pity his fate was to die so young."

The youngest Gibb brother fought a battle with drug addiction all of his life and would eventually succumb to it, dying from a heart attack caused by cocaine use when he was just 30-years-old.

Andy went twice to drug rehabilitation and in 1988 planned a come back and a record deal with Island Records.

But the deal was never signed, and despite the Bee Gees also announcing Andy would be officially joining their group as the fourth Bee Gee in 1988, the youngest Gibb was suffering.

Just months before his death in 1988, the Bee Gees announced Andy would be officially joining their group as the fourth Bee Gee. The Gibb brothers pictured in 1978. Picture: Getty

The Bee Gees - The brothers’ distinctive singing style

Robin Gibb would later say of Andy's state of mind in the spring of 1988 that he "just went downhill so fast... he was in a terrible state of depression."

Just two days after celebrating his 30th birthday in London while working on his new album, Andy was admitted to hospital in Oxford where he complained of chest pains and died not long afterwards.

Andy Gibb is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. The headstone reads 'Andy Gibb / March 5, 1958 – March 10, 1988 / An Everlasting Love'.