Christine McVie, the British singer, songwriter, and keyboardist best known for her work in Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 79. Her passing was confirmed in a note posted to her Facebook page. A specific cause of death was not revealed.
“On behalf of Christine McVie’s family, it is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine’s death,” the note reads. “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.”
Fleetwood Mac also posted a note to its social media accounts about McVie’s passing. “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie,” reads the message from the band. “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.”
As longtime friend, bandmate, and fellow Fleetwood Mac lead singer Stevie Nicks wrote in handwritten a statement posted to her social media on Wednesday, “A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975 had passed away. 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. So, since Saturday, one song has been swirling around in my head, over and over and over. I thought I might possibly get to sing it with her, and so, I’m singing it to her now.” The remainder of the note includes a selection of lyrics from “Hallelujah” by HAIM. “See you on the other side, my love,” she ended the note. “Don’t forget me. Always, Stevie.”
Related: Stevie Nicks Remembers Best Friend & Bandmate Christine McVie With HAIM Lyrics
Born Christine Perfect on July 12th, 1943, she began to earn acclaim with English blues act Chicken Shack before marrying Fleetwood Mac’s John McVie and joining the band herself in 1970. While the two later divorced, both remained in the band and played together for nearly five decades.
She went on hiatus from Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and remained largely out of the public eye before eventually rejoining the group’s touring lineup in 2014. In 2017, she joined up with Mac bandmate Lindsey Buckingham for a new album Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie.
Christine McVie was a vital creative force in Fleetwood Mac, penning favorites like “Don’t Stop”, “Over My Head”, “Little Lies”, “Everywhere”, “You Make Loving Fun”, “Say You Love Me”, “Think About Me”, “Songbird”, and more. Her songwriting contributions made significant impact on the band’s success in the ’70s and ’80s: As The New York Times points out, eight of the 16 songs included on the band’s 1988 Greatest Hits compilation were either written or co-written by McVie, more than doubling the band’s next most prolific songwriters, Stevie Nicks (four) and Lindsey Buckingham (three).
Fleetwood Mac – “Everywhere” (Live)
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