RIP Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, Dead at 79

Fleetwood Mac legend Christine McVie has died at the age of 79. The artist was born July 12, 1943, in Lancashire, England. According to an official release from the band: "There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, 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 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."

McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970, after her previous band--Chicken Shack--often crossed paths with FM on tour. At that point, she had already contributed to Fleetwood Mac's second album, Mr. Wonderful, the followup Then Play On, and the group's fourth studio effort, Kiln House.

Once a full-fledged member, McVie moved to America with the rest of Fleetwood Mac in 1974. McVie wrote or co-wrote five songs on the group's self-titled 1975 release, including lead single, "Over My Head," which peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the band's first song to hit the chart in six years, following "Oh Well" from 1969. She also penned the album's fourth and final single, "Say You Love Me," which climbed all the way to #11 on the Hot 100.

McVie was responsible for some of Fleetwood Mac's biggest hits, including the single "Everywhere," which is currently in heavy rotation courtesy of a current Chevy Volt electric car ad campaign. McVie also penned such FM tunes including "Don't Stop," "You Make Loving Fun," "Say You Love Me," as well as the first ("Over & Over") and last ("Never Forget") on the band's 1979 double-LP, Tusk.

“The loss of Christine McVie is not only devastating to all of us in her Warner Music family across the globe, but to the entire music community and her countless millions of fans," shared Max Lousada, CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group, in a press statement. "From her early days with Chicken Shack to her phenomenal time with Fleetwood Mac to her brilliant solo work, Christine has been in our collective musical consciousness for nearly six decades. Her voice was unmistakable and indelible, her songwriting beautiful and peerless, and her live performances powerful and entrancing. She was, and is, a musical icon for the ages, and she will be deeply missed. Our condolences go out to her family, friends, and bandmates.”

“The Warner family has lost a dear friend of many decades with the passing of Christine McVie," added Kevin Gore, President of Global Catalog, Recorded Music for Warner Music Group. "An exceptionally gifted musician, her signature vocals and impeccable songwriting are front and center on many of Fleetwood Mac’s most beloved hits as well as her string of beautiful solo albums. I had the honor of spending time with Christine a few years ago to discuss how to best present her solo work, and I’m so pleased with the collection she produced, which recently earned a Grammy® nomination. Our deepest condolences go out to Christine’s family, bandmates, and friends, along with her legions of fans around the world. Warner Music will continue to honor and preserve Christine’s unparalleled legacy and, though she may no longer be with us, we will all, like the songbird, keep singing her songs.”