Christine McVie, who played with Fleetwood Mac and wrote some of their most famous songs, has died aged 79, her family has said. The British singer-songwriter was behind hits including Little Lies, Everywhere, Don’t Stop, Say You Love Me, and Songbird. She died peacefully at a hospital in the company of her family, a statement said.
McVie left Fleetwood Mac after 28 years in 1998 but returned in 2014. The family’s statement said “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”.
Born Christine Perfect, McVie married Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie and joined the group in 1971. McVie was an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was awarded the OBE in 2004. In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, McVie said of her time with Fleetwood Mac: “We were all good friends, and we all worked really hard. We had some laughs, and we had some tears. We had some good times, and we had some bad times. But we all stuck together and kept going.” In the same interview, she also spoke about her songwriting process, saying: “I just write about my life, what’s happening to me. I don’t really write about anybody else’s life. I just write from my own experience, and I think people can relate to that.”
a statement, Fleetwood Mac said: “We are devastated by the loss of our dear friend, Christine McVie. Christine was a unique and much-loved member of our family, both on stage and off, for almost fifty years. We will miss her beaming smile, her infectious laughter and her beautiful voice.”
