Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie dies at age 79

Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie has died at the age of 79, her family has said.

A statement on Facebook said: “On behalf of Christine McVie’s family, it is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine’s death.

“She passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness. 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.”

The British American rock band, founded in London in 1967, has sold more than 100m records worldwide, making them one of the most successful groups ever. Their best-known songs include Dreams, Go Your Own Way and Everywhere.

The band paid tribute to the singer-songwriter McVie in a statement on Wednesday night following news of her death. “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.”

The statement on Twitter continued: “She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life.

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“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.”

Despite its tumultuous history, Fleetwood Mac became one of the best-known rock bands of the 1970s and 80s, comprising Mick Fleetwood, Christine and John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

Nicks posted a handwritten note on Instagram to pay tribute. “A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975 had passed away,” she wrote. “I didn’t even know she was ill … until late Saturday night. I wanted to be in London; I wanted to get to London – but we were told to wait.”

Fleetwood wrote that McVie had “left us earthbound folks to listen with bated breath to the sounds of that ‘songbird’ … reminding one and all that love is all around us to reach for and touch in this precious life that is gifted to us. Part of my heart has flown away today.”

McVie, who was born in 1943 in the Lake District village of Bouth, was originally known as Christine Perfect, her maiden name. She started out with the blues band Chicken Shack, which had a hit with a cover of Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind, featuring McVie on lead vocals. After marrying John McVie in 1968, she left the band a year later and joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970.

After many changes to the lineup, in 1974 Nicks and Buckingham joined, an era that McVie called “pretty sensational”. She added: “We had our fights here and there, but there was nothing like the music or the intensity onstage. We weren’t doing anything in Britain, so just decamped to America and fell into this huge musical odyssey.”

Their 1975 self-titled album featured hits written by McVie: Over My Head and Say You Love Me. Christine and John McVie divorced in 1976 but remained friends and maintained a working relationship.

Rumours, released in 1977, became one of the bestselling albums of all time and included hits such as Second Hand News and You Make Loving Fun. In addition to several multi-platinum tracks, the record sold more than 40m copies worldwide. Speaking of that period, McVie recently told the Guardian: “We were having a blast and it felt incredible to us that we were writing those songs.”

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The album was recorded as “a pop album” and took its name and themes from the many turbulent breakups within the band and their drug use at the time. McVie said her drugs of choice were “cocaine and champagne”.

“Trauma. Trau-ma,” McVie later told Rolling Stone of the making of the album. “The sessions were like a cocktail party every night – people everywhere. We ended up staying in these weird hospital rooms … and of course John and me were not exactly the best of friends.”

This year, she described their relationship as “never as melodramatic as Stevie and Lindsey” and said they “occasionally write to each other or phone each other”.

McVie also released solo albums, the second of which, 1984’s Christine McVie, featured the hits Got a Hold on Me and Love Will Show Us How.

She later married the musician Eddy Quintella, who co-wrote songs with her, including Little Lies from the Fleetwood Mac album Tango in the Night. They divorced in 2003.

She took a hiatus from the band in 1998. “I just wanted to embrace being in the English countryside and not have to troop around on the road,” she said to the Guardian. “I moved to Kent, and I loved being able to walk around the streets, nobody knowing who I was. Then of course I started to miss it.”

In 2014 she returned and the band’s most recognisable lineup toured together. McVie recorded an album with Buckingham in 2017 called Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie.

McVie’s death comes two years after the Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green died at the age of 73.

Tributes poured in online from within the music industry. The US band Haim, whose song Hallelujah was quoted by Nicks in her tribute to McVie, wrote: “The sisterhood Stevie and Christine had was so vital to us growing up. Seeing two strong women support each other in our favorite band has had such a huge impact on us throughout our lives.”

The official Twitter account for the band Garbage tweeted: “Gutted to learn about the passing of Christine McVie. Just gutted. Songbird forever.” Sheryl Crow also reacted on Twitter: “I am so sad to hear of Christine McVie going on to heaven. The world feels weird without her here. What a legend and an icon and an amazing human being.”