Former Bee Gees drummers Colin Petersen and Dennis Bryon have died within four days of each other

Petersen was the band's original drummer while Bryon joined in 1973.

The Bee Gees family has suffered two tragedies within a matter of days.

Two drummers of the pop-rock group, whose hits include "Stayin' Alive" and "How Deep is Your Love," have died. Dennis Bryon, who served as the band's drummer starting in 1973, died on Nov. 14 at 76. Four days later, Colin "Smiley" Petersen, who was the group's first professional drummer, died at the age of 78.

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Bryon's death was announced Thursday by musician Blue Weaver, who played alongside him in the band Amen Corner.

"I am lost for words at the moment," Weaver began his post. "Dennis has passed away. Kayte, Dennis’s wife has just called me and asked if I would let all friends and fans know. This was such a shock."

He continued, "Dennis has been my friend since we were in our first band together age 15. His great drumming will always Stay Alive.

Petersen's death was confirmed on the official Facebook page for the tribute band he played with, The Best of The Bee Gees Show.

"It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our dear friend Colin 'Smiley' Petersen," began the post. "He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect. Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship."

Fellow performer Evan Webster told Entertainment Weekly that he last saw Petersen after wrapping the tribute band's 2024 tour on Sunday night. "He couldn’t be happier as he lived for performing and already began looking forward to the next show," Webster wrote.

He added that Petersen "was sharp witted, humorous and his memory was crystal clear, right down to what the group were wearing at different events in the late 60’s. He looked back fondly to his time as a Bee Gee and retained the knowledge they gained working with the group, with which he guided us."

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The Bee Gees was formed by Australian brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb in the late 1950s. Born Frederick Colin Petersen in Queensland, Aus., Petersen attended the same school as the Gibb brothers but departed prior to their enrollment. He would join the band in 1966, performing on their second studio album Spicks and Specks and playing on such early hits as  "To Love Somebody," "I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You," and "I Started a Joke."

“I wasn’t the most technically skilled drummer, but I think that sometimes less is more,” Petersen said in a 2022 interview with the U.K. music podcast The Strange Brew. “When you’re limited, you have to get creative — just like Chuck Berry, who made magic with just a few chords. For me, it was always about serving the song.”

Prior to his time with the band, Petersen was a child star, who earned his nickname from starring in the title role of the 1956 Australian film Smiley.

Petersen drummed with Bee Gees until 1969, when disagreements with the band’s then manager led him to leave. He was initially replaced by Geoff Bridgford and the band would later opt to employ touring drummers instead of full-time members before eventually settling on Bryon, who became their drummer from 1973 until 1980.

Born April 14, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales, Bryon began playing the drums at 14. He joined the Bee Gees just as the band reinvented themselves in the '70s, kicking off their disco era with several of their greatest hits, including “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep is Your Love,” “You Should Be Dancing,” “More Than a Woman” and the rest of their bestselling Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

In his 2015 memoir, You Should Be Dancing: My Life With The Bee Gees, Bryon wrote that he realized the album had succeeded while flipping through radio channels in 1978, where he discovered five different stations playing songs from the record.

"That’s when I knew this record was big," Mr. Bryon wrote. "Very, very big."

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The Bee Gees are among the best-selling music artists of all time, with their additional accolades including five Grammy Awards and their 1997 induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. As far as the original Bee Gee lineup, Barry Gibb is the last surviving brother. Maurice died in 2003, while Robin died in 2012.