Christine McVie, the longtime vocalist and keyboardist of Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 79. “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.”
Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood shared additional personal statements about their bandmates death.
Christine McVie was raised in the West Midlands of England, learning music from a young age. While studying at Birmingham’s Moseley School of Art, she joined the short-lived group Sounds of Blue. The band morphed into the blues outfit Chicken Shack, featuring McVie (known at the time by her maiden name, Christine Perfect) on vocals and keyboards. McVie performed on the band’s first two albums, 1968’s 40 Blue Fingers Freshly Packed & Ready to Serve and 1969’s O.K. Ken?
After leaving Chicken Shack, McVie released her solo debut, Christine Perfect, in 1970. At the time, she was married to Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, and she soon made her debut with the ensemble, performing on 1971’s Future Games. By the mid-1970s, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac, and the band began to find massive success with its 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 but remained bandmates.
McVie continued to record with Fleetwood Mac until departing the group in the late 1990s. Her final studio album with the band was 1995’s Time, and she eventually rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 2014. As part of Fleetwood Mac, McVie was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. She also won the 1978 Grammy Award for Album of the Year for Rumours.
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