Christine McVie: Fleetwood Mac Songbird singer dies aged 79 as tributes from Stevie Nicks and others pour in
Christine McVie, the performer and songwriter responsible for some of Fleetwood Mac’s greatest hits, has died at the age of 79. In a family statement, they said that McVie died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by loved ones Wednesday evening GMT. No cause of death has been announced so far.
In the family statement, they also wrote “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". Those sentiments have already been echoed by musicians and fans of Fleetwood Mac across social media moments after the news.
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Hide AdMcVie joined Fleetwood Mac after her marriage to bass player John McVie in the 70s, and the trials and tribulation of the heart have been well documented regarding the band. Their 1977 album Rumours was written as two couples in the group broke up; Christine and John alongside Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
McVie’s contributions to Fleetwood Mac included penning some of the group’s most well known hits including Little Lies, Everywhere, Don’t Stop, Say You Love Me and Songbird. She left the band in 1998 due to her fear of flying, the same year Fleetwood Mac were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, but returned in 2014 following a one-off appearance at Fleetwood Mac’s London The O2 show in 2013.
Speaking about returning to the band in 2014, McVie told The Guardian "It was amazing, like I’d never left. I climbed back on there again and there they were, the same old faces on stage.”
“See you on the other side, my love. Don’t forget me.”
Tributes after the announcement of McVie’s death started flooding social media, with Fleetwood Mac releasing a statement that read "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."
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Hide AdCrowded House lead singer Neil Finn, who played with Fleetwood Mac in Lindsey Buckingham’s place on their last tour in 2018, wrote: "She was a unique and soulful musician, supremely gifted songwriter and a warm and wonderful friend and I am so grateful to have shared some hours in her beautiful presence."
Former bandmate Stevie Nicks also penned a handwritten letter on Twitter to her followers.
“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 know she was ill until Saturday night,” Nicks wrote. Her letter then explained she wanted to go to London to visit McVie but was told to wait. Nick finished her letter in tribute to her friend by saying “see you on the other side my love.”
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