Christine McVie, the long-time member of the rock group, Fleetwood Mac, has passed away on November 30th at the age of seventy-nine. The British singer was responsible for writing and performing some of the band's best known and loved songs like "Say You Love Me", "Songbird", "You Make Loving Fun", "Little Lies" and "Everywhere".
She was born Christine Perfect and grew up in the town of Smethwick near Birmingham. She took to the piano at a very early age, becoming classically trained until she was a teenager after which she shifted her focus to rock & roll. While attending Moseley School of Art in Birmingham, Perfect met several budding musicians, like Spencer Davis, Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton who were immersed in the blues music scene happening there. She eventually left behind the idea of becoming an art teacher and pursued music full time with a move to London. Perfect joined Chicken Shack, a blues band, in 1967 and they released two studio albums, receiving some notice with the singles, "It's Okay with Me Baby" (written and performed by Perfect) and a cover of Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind".
After marrying John McVie, the bass guitarist for another blues-rock band, Fleetwood Mac, in 1969, Perfect decided to leave Chicken Shack in order to have more time with her new husband. But not wanting to end her career in music, she released a self-titled debut album the following year, a collection of largely r&b and blues covers with a few original songs by Perfect. She had begun working with Fleetwood Mac, providing backing vocals and even painting the cover of their 1970 album, "Kiln House", and after founding member Peter Green left, the now named Christine McVie officially became a member of the band.
During the recording of their next album, the McVies' marriage was coming to an end and the romantic relationship between Buckingham and Nicks was over. They all managed, along with drummer and founding member, Mick Fleetwood, to continue to work together with the end result being the band's eleventh studio album, "Rumours" in 1977. The album was critically acclaimed, had four top-ten singles (which included McVie's "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun"), became one of the best selling of all time at twenty million copies and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
During the height of Fleetwood Mac's fame, McVie recorded her second solo album, a self-titled record in 1984 that featured the top ten single, "Got a Hold on Me". After years of recording and touring, McVie decided to end life on the road in 1998. She released her third solo album, "In the Meantime" in 2003 but eleven years later, McVie was lured back to Fleetwood Mac. McVie teamed up with Buckingham for a collaborative studio album, "Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie" in 2017 which was followed by a tour. Fleetwood Mac was supposed to begin a tour with the popular line-up the following year but Buckingham left the band although some say he was fired over a conflict with Nicks. The tour went on but with guitarist Mike Campbell, formerly of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House as replacements for Buckingham.
In Fleetwood Mac, McVie was a demure and low-key member compared to Nicks' colorfully theatrical character or the handsome Buckingham's brilliantly skilled yet brash persona. But she was a vital component to the band's enduring success, with her smooth piano playing, sultry and smoky voice and gift for crafting heartfelt yet catchy pop songs. It was clear that the creating and performing of music was most essential to her, far more than the trappings of fame and success. McVie was a sincere team player, willing to recede a bit out of the spotlight so that the entire band could shine brightly.
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