Christine McVie, the English musician whose smoky voice and romantic lyrics helped catapult rock group Fleetwood Mac to international success, died Wednesday, the band and her family announced on social media.
She was 79 years old.
“There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie,” the group said in a statement on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.. “She was truly unique, 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 very lucky to have a life with her,” the band added. “Individually and together, we deeply appreciate Christine and are grateful for the incredible memories we have of her. She will be greatly missed.”
In a statement on InstagramMcVie’s family said she “passed away peacefully” surrounded by loved ones at a hospital after a “brief illness.”
“We kindly ask that you respect the privacy of the family at this extremely painful time,” the family said, “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..”
McVie was once married to Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie. The turmoil in their relationship was one of the creative drivers behind the band’s popular “Rumours” album, released in 1977.
Christine McVie penned some of the most treasured lines in the Fleetwood Mac songbook, penning lyrics to global hits like “Everywhere,” “Little Lies,” and “Don’t Stop,” a song that became synonymous with the first presidential campaign. of Bill Clinton.
In her lyrics, she chronicles the ups and downs of love in simple yet poignant terms. “You Make Loving Fun,” one of the melodic high points of “Rumours” and a staple of Fleetwood Mac tours, encapsulated the gleeful abandon of romance.
McVie channeled a more introspective mood on “Songbird,” one of four songs on “Rumours” written solely by her. “For you there will be no more crying / For you the sun will shine”, she sings accompanied by a melancholic piano melody.
In the 1970s, when it was in its commercial heyday, Fleetwood Mac sold tens of millions of records and leapt into the pantheon of rock bands. Fans around the world were entranced by the transcendent music and obsessed with the behind-the-scenes drama.
The breakup of the McVies, and the ensuing separation of singer-songwriters Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, spawned “Rumours,” a timeless joint diary of domestic breakup and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
McVie retired from Fleetwood Mac in 1998, after the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
He rejoined the band in early 2014 for an electrifying world tour, reuniting with the “Rumours”-era incarnation of a group known for frequent line-up changes.
in a handwritten note Posted on Twitter Wednesday, Nicks paid tribute to her “best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975” and quoted lyrics from “Hallelujah,” a song by the band Haim: “I had a best friend / But she’s come pass.”
Christine Anne Perfect was born on July 12, 1943 in Lancashire, England, and from a very young age displayed a natural gift for the musical arts. She started out on the piano, but eventually shelved her classical credentials and dove headfirst into rock ‘n’ roll.
He began his professional career in 1967 with the British blues band Chicken Shack. She met and married John McVie after a brief courtship and then officially joined his band in 1970.
Christine McVie quickly became an integral member of Fleetwood Mac, adding dimension as a fascinating contralto singer, songwriter and keyboardist. McVie’s early notable contributions include the tunes “Over My Head” and “Say You Love Me”.
John and Christine McVie divorced in 1978, though they remained friends and remained in the band together through beloved albums like “Tusk” (1979) and “Mirage” (1982).
She was married for the second time, to Eduardo “Eddy” Quintela, from 1986 to 2003.
McVie won two Grammy Awards out of seven nominations in all, and in 2014 received a lifetime achievement honor from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.