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Christine McVie dies aged 79

Rest in Peace

By Paul Sinclair

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66

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

The singer-songwriter joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971 and wrote some of the band’s most memorable and commercial songs, including ‘Little Lies’, ‘Everywhere’, ‘Don’t Stop’, ‘Say You Love Me’, and ‘Songbird’.

Only five years ago McVie released an album with her old bandmate Lindsey Buckingham, which was warmly received and featured contributions by all the members of Fleetwood Mac, except Stevie Nicks. Earlier this year Warners put out a new best of called Songbird (A Solo Collection).

Christine died peacefully at a hospital in the company of her family, who issued the following statement: “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”.

Pay your tributes to Christine McVie in the comments section of this post.

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66 Comments

66 thoughts on “Christine McVie dies aged 79”

  2. Such sudden and sad news. Based on Stevie’s response, it seems like it was unexpected. I really enjoyed the Buckingham / McVie album, and I can’t help but feel some resentment toward Nicks for not appearing on it and basically rubbing Lindsey out of that last tour. Hearing LB talk about it when it happened felt like he suggested CM took it particularly hard. She was the perfect (pun not intended) smooth antidote to Lindsey’s edge. We need to brace ourselves as our legends begin to move on to their great reward, and be grateful for the beautiful legacy they have left behind. RIP Christine.

    “And the songbirds keep singing…”

  3. Such sad news. She was such a talent and has left us so much great music to enjoy (been listening to her songs the past few days and just get goosebumps hearing that beautiful voice). Fleetwood Mac had a massive hole when they were without her (as they do without Lindsey) and I’m so glad she came back in the latter years – especially that I got to see her perform live with them finally (Dublin – great night!). RIP Christine and thank you

    1. Wot massive hole does mike campbell not fill ?? I presume that you are referring to the odd vocal?? Because as great as Lyndsay is on guitar he’s not as good as Mike!!
      And do you really need rubbish like my little demons anyway??

      1. The beauty of music is that it’s a matter of opinion. I love Mike Campbell, but he is most certainly no Lindsey Buckingham – not by a country mile in this FM context. They have different styles. He was brought in because of his long history with Stevie Nicks. By most accounts, Lindsey could be prickly and moody, but he was their main musical glue and their producer. Stevie was just being a malicious diva.

        I love Neil Finn even more – his gift for songwriting and melody is astonishing. That said, it took the two of them to fill in for one Lindsey Buckingham. I get it that you don’t like the “little demon”, but be serious and acknowledge LB’s towering talent and contribution to FM. If not for his insistence, Nicks wouldn’t have even been in the band and might have been destined to be a historical footnote.

  4. Well, she gave us so much in her time here on earth. We have a lot to be thankful for. Same goes for Paul Sinclair, whose website alerted us to the great FM box set from a couple of years ago, the one with 8 or 9 CDs, prior to Buckingham/Nicks. That CD set really showcased Christine’s talents as her songwriting progressed thru the early 1970’s. She really helped keep the band going strong thru some tough transitional periods with her gorgeous melodic compositions presented with flawless production instincts.

  5. Yeah the passing of CMV really hit me deep…first Irene Cara at 63 & now Chris?!?! A friend of mine told me on the phone & he wasn’t sure if it was a rumour or not…both were totally unexpected…besides Lindsey, she was my fave in the band, beautiful unique voice & original great songwriter & keyboardist…she was the steady grounded, benevolent force of the band, able to just tune out the noise & drama surrounding her, just focus on the music & get on with it…the period when she was not in the band, there was a subtle hole, the 2003 album “Say You Will” was good but without Chris, it was more like a Buckingham Nicks album with the FM rhythm section than an actual FM album, while the Buckingham McVie album from 5 years ago, also with the FM rhythm section, felt more FM or FM-lite than SYW did, cuz of Christine…even her lone song on the 1995 album “Time” was worthy…what’s great about Chris & her talent is her length of time in the band but also alongside the hits, there were as many (or more) obscure hidden gems ripe for (re)discovery…and the hits and popular album cuts like “Songbird” don’t sound dated in the least…what a talent, what a catalogue…and now with her gone, the subtle hole just grew into a massive inescapable black hole & now her absence is unavoidable…there can never be a future of FM without her…but they can do a tribute/farewell to her and the band, with Lindsey part of it…oh Christine, with a heavy sigh, I have to say RIP…

  6. My favourite Mac member – beautiful writer and performer – a rare gift for the pop melody! So thankful I saw the Rumours era lineup live. RIP.

  7. Rest in Peace Christine & Thank you for the music & pleasure you have given my ears in the last 40 years!!

    My thoughts go to her family & bandmates! This is a suprising & devastating loss xxxxxx

  8. Great songwriter, singer, and keyboard player. Check out the list of kit she plays on Rumours – Moog is always alright with me. I will always remember the great, naturally beautiful, photographs of her from the 70s, less so this example from the 80s.

  9. I’ve been a huge FM and Christine fan for over 35 years. I am shocked and totally devastated. More so than I ever thought I would be, her songs helped me through some of the most difficult times in my life. There will always be a special place in my heart for Chris and her wonderful music… RIP beautiful Songbird. x

  12. Lovely lady and a brilliant songwriter, I was so pleased when she returned to the ‘Mac. Was always hoping for a new album full of great songs. The great days of Fleetwod Mac for me was always the early Peter Green lineup but Christine bridged both along with John and Mick. Sad day indeed RIP Christine.

  13. For you there’ll be no more crying
    For you the sun will be shining
    And I feel that when I’m with you
    It’s alright, I know it’s right
    To you I’ll give the world
    To you I’ll never be cold
    ‘Cause I feel that when I’m with you
    It’s alright, I know it’s right
    And the songbirds are singing
    Like they know the score
    And I love you, I love you, I love you
    Like never before
    And I wish you all the love in the world
    But most of all, I wish it from myself
    And the songbirds keep singing
    Like they know the score
    And I love you, I love you, I love you
    Like never before
    Like never before
    Like never before

    RIP

  14. Listened to three Stevie Nicks albums yesterday for no particular reason. Wondered how much longer she’d be around. Woke up to this. Bizarre. Absolutely gutted.

  15. “Crystal”, particularly the extended keyboard outro, has long been my favourite Fleetwood Mac song.
    You made some beauty, Christine. Thank you – and rest in peace.

  16. Such sad news today – check out her massively overlooked solo albums ‘Christine McVie’ and ‘In the Meantime’ – such a massive loss to music. RIP

    1. Love will show us how – love that self-titled Ted Templeman – Van Halen- produced effort with Eric Clapton etc guesting- got the vinyl and CD as Japanese pressings in a bargain bin 20 plus years ago – beautiful image of that piano on the hillside – instant classic Imho

    1. Tango is undoubtedly my all time favourite albums. It was the album that got me into Fleetwood Mac in a big way, and I’ve been there ever since.

      2. Me too. I was 10 when Tango was released and my parents played the cassette in the car on repeat for what felt like months. I loved every song, with Everywhere and Isn’t it Midnight being standout favourites at the time. My folks then introduced me to Rumours and my little mind was blown. They’ve been my favourite band ever since. I love all stages of their career but the classic Rumours lineup has always been most dear to me and I feared the day that one of them would pass. Lindsey leaving the band a few years ago felt like a huge blow, but with Chris now sadly gone for good, I think that really is the end of the Mac. What a talent that lady was… and what a loss.

  19. From the moment I heard Tango in the Night at the age of 13 and quickly discovering a huge back catalogue to immerse myself in, Christine McVie has been my musical world. ‘Why’ is one of my all time favourite songs, but so many of her songs define my life. Another major call-out for me is As Long As You Follow… just perfection.
    Thank you Christine for giving me the soundtrack of my life.
    This news impacted me more than I ever thought it would. Christine and FM vinyl getting some serious play all day today while I’ve been trying to work.

  20. Very sad news indeed. Christine was the stable influence in FM and a great singer, songwriter. Known mainly for her ballads but she could sure sing some blues. Time to put on some Chicken Shack.
    RIP Christine.

  21. A friend texted me the news of Christine’s passing while I was working, and after I read it, my concentration on the job was shot to hell. Worse, I work outdoors and today was grey, windy, wet and getting colder and darker by the hour. My internal jukebox played Christine’s songs for the rest of the day while I endured the less than pleasant conditions.
    She was the grounding force in Fleetwood Mac for certain. I wonder how that band would have fared without her. I’m not just talking about temperament, but also the balance between three strong songwriters and singers with distinct personalities. As it turns out, my absolute favorite song of hers is from Tusk, an album where both Lindsey and Stevie are so vividly present, yet Christine is reliably “Christine.” That said, she does stray a little bit out of the box on that album, and that’s probably why I single out “Brown Eyes” as my number one track, perhaps not just by Christine, but out of the whole Fleetwood Mac discography. Hard to say. Even if you excise all of the hits, there is still a box set’s worth of stellar album tracks written by the many members of the band throughout its history. Of course, you can’t ignore the hits, and Christine wrote a whole lot of them. In fact, it was exactly 40 years ago this past weekend that “Love In Store” made its debut on Billboard’s Hot 100 (November 27, 1982) which turned out to be her second hit from Mirage.
    When my mood eventually lightens, I think I’ll create a playlist (or even burn a CD!!!) of her best work and call it “Pristine McVie.” You can bet that “Brown Eyes” will make the list.
    Thank you for over fifty years of music, Christine. You’ve earned your rest.

  22. RIP to the wonderful singer and songwriter. I was thinking that most of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs are Christine songs-“Spare Me A Little”, “Say You Love Me”, “Don’t Stop”, “World Turning”, “Think About Me”, and “Little Lies” to name a few.

  24. I picked up that box set of Fleetwood Mac’s early albums from a few years back. While it’s a great little box overall, I was struck by how each Christine McVie song was like a little hidden gem(s) on each album. RIP.

  26. In 2013, a Christine-less Fleetwood Mac recorded a great Lindsey Buckingham song called “Sad Angel.” It might have been a huge hit in another era but in 2013 it came and went without much notice. Lindsey and Stevie sounded great together on it. But from the very first time I heard it, I could tell something was missing. And it didn’t take long to realize what it was. The absence of Christine’s voice kept that record from being, well… perfect. For me that played up just how important she had been in the band’s sound even on the others’ songs.

  27. Its not that common for a band to have two truly world class singer/songwriers in it. Rare for a band to have three. The Beatles were one such band. Fleetwood Mac was another.

    Those wanting to listen to a little of Christine tonight might want to try “One More Night” from Fleetwood Mac Live. Never released on an album. Only demoed so far as I am aware. It nonethelss appears on the Live album. One of my very favourites.

    I was at the concert in Auckland, New Zealand when Lindsey completely lost it with Stevie. You should have seen the look on Christine’s face!

    RIP Christine

    1. It’s Wilko with K. Wilco is the band. With cancer you can never be sure you’re recovered. And it’s almost ten years, when Wilko had his operation.

  29. What terribly sad news. Stevie and Lindsey seemed to make all the headlines over the years but it was Christine who simply made post-Peter Green Fleetwood Mac for me. An amazing singer-songwriter who survived all the craziness of being in FM whilst being responsible for much of the band’s greatest work. I saw the Mac many times during Christine’s retirement but, thankfully, she was back on board the last time I saw them (before Lindsey’s departure). She was one of the greats.

  33. Very sad news, it’s always been a rollercoaster with Fleetwood Mac but this is the final chapter, I hope the remaining members can put their differences behind one last time and give Christine a fitting tribute.
    Why do they always make these announcements at this time of night in the UK, I won’t be able to get to sleep tonight, just be playing Fleetwood Mac until 3am
    RIP Christine.

  36. So sad to hear this. Tango In The Night is one of my all fav albums of the eighties. Songs like Everywhere and Little Lies
    are such fantastic tunes one can hear over and over again. Thank you Christine for writing such wonderful music.

  37. One of the great voices ever heard on earth. I have to be pathetic. Incomparable. Just placed the needle on her debut from 1970: Christine Perfect – what a name, and what a voice!

  38. A wonderful songwriter, blessed with a heartfelt voice. Songbird will always be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world, rest peacefully.

  40. That’s a huge shock, she didn’t seem to be of such an age and her talent was immense. She added a lot to the overall sound of Fleetwood Mac and I feel sung some of their best and heartfelt work. Such a shame RIP.

  42. This is very sad news. I got seriously into Fleetwood Mac much later in life than I should have, but over the last decade I have grown to love their music, and in particular the many classic songs that Christine wrote/co-wrote and sang for the group. She was one of the very greatest female artists ever. Even in her mid 70s, she produced a fantastic album in 2017 with Lindsey Buckingham. Don’t know what else to say right now.

  43. RIP Christine. I was lucky enough to catch her and Lindsey on their tour 5 years or so ago. Great show. I’m sure she had lots of Dennis Wilson stories. I read one where she came home and Dennis had this nice flower arrangement for her (I think it was in her yard?). Turns out Dennis had it charged to Christine’s credit card. Rock n’ Roll legends.

    1. There’s an extraordinary clip on on YouTube, posted by The Beach Boys’ then-keyboard genius Carli Munoz, of a string ensemble and Carli rehearsing You Are So Beautiful, which Dennis had arranged for them to play for her birthday, to accompanying him singing the song. I believe they were engaged at the time. Clips like that didn’t really ought to exist – I mean, who had the presence of mind to film that at the time, unwittingly recording a moment that would go down in Beach Boys/Fleetwood Mac’s history?

      Maybe Christine and Dennis are sharing a cocktail or three right now, and serenading each other again.

  45. This absolutely breaks my heart. I still remember hearing Say You Love Me and You Make Loving Fun coming out of the radio growing up in Tucson. I always loved those 2 songs in particular. My very first concert was the Big Mac, and it was one of the shows represented on the original ‘Live’ album as well as the Tusk reissue. I always thought it was cool that my first concert was on a live album. I then saw the show that was filmed for Tango In The Night Live – we we sitting directly in front of Christine. I then had the privilege of being the medic who worked the ‘classic’ bands last show in Austin TX a few years back. She came across as a very warm and kind person. Christine’s songs were always my favorites within that band, and you will be missed! Thank You for all the memories!

  46. That’s really sad news. It seems worse when the news comes out of the blue. Her songs, voice and piano playing were a significant part of the Fleetwood Mac recipe that blended so well together.

  47. I am shocked by the news. What an incredible artist with one of the sweetest and most recognizable female voices in rock music. Her songwriting was impressive, too.
    RIP.

  49. Oh that’s tough… I discovered Fleetwood Mac rather late in my life but I instantly fell in love with their music. And Christine McVie was a huge part of their artistic appeal. She had a great voice and wrote memorable songs. It’s really sad. I don’t know how FM can carry on, now…

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