Christine McVie, the longtime vocalist and keyboardist of Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 79. Her family and the band broke the news on social media, which you can see in the posts below. Starting her career in the 1960s in the UK with the band Chicken Shack, McVie released her solo debut, Christine Perfect, in 1970. At the time, she was married to Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, and later joined the band formally for 1971’s Future Games. After the band mergd with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham they had chart-topping million selling albums with 1975 self-titled album, 1977’s Rumours, and 1979’s Tusk. Those albums featured several notable songs written and sung by Christine McVie, including “Over My Head,” “Warm Ways, “Say You Love Me,” “Don’t Stop,” “Songbird,” and “Brown Eyes.” Amid the band’s prolific period, the McVies divorced in 1976. McVie stayed in the band until leaving in the late 1990s. McVie was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. She also won the 1980 Grammy Award for Album of the Year for Rumours. Christne will be remembered for her beautiful voice, classy compositions, and deft talent as a performer on piano. RIP.
“She passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness,” the musician’s family wrote in a statement. “She was in the company of her family. We kindly ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this extremely painful time, and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally. RIP Christine McVie.”
In an additional statement, Fleetwood Mac wrote: “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed.”