His spokesperson released a statement that reads, “The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery. The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time.”

Gibb was diagnosed two years ago with colon and liver cancer. He had been hospitalized several times in the last few years, most recently last month with pneumonia.

Gibb was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994 and the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three years later.

The soundtrack album to “Saturday Night Fever” was the top-selling album until Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” took the title.