Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie's cause of death revealed
Revealed: Fleetwood Mac legend Christine McVie died aged 79 after suffering a stroke as she battled against cancer
- Christine McVie died of an ‘ischaemic stroke’ last year, her death certificate says
- She had been diagnosed with cancer, with the disease being the second cause
Fleetwood Mac legend Christine McVie died aged 79 after suffering a stroke as she battled against cancer, it has emerged.
The pop star, who penned some of the band’s biggest hits including Don’t Stop, Little Lies, Say You Love Me, You Make Loving Fun and Songbird, passed away in November last year in hospital.
Her genius and warm, soulful vocals helped to turn the one-time blues band into one of the most successful rock groups of all time, with more than 100million record sold worldwide.
Many of her songs were featured on the band’s 1977 Rumours album, their best-known work which chronicled the group’s drug use and affairs. Rumours is regularly cited as one of rock’s greatest albums.
It has now been confirmed that the singer-songwriter died after an ischaemic stroke, according to her death certificate which was seen by The Blast. Ischaemic strokes are the most common types of stroke, according to the NHS. They are caused when blood flow is restricted to the brain by blood clots which form where the arteries have been narrowed.
Her secondary cause of death was cancer, which she had previously been diagnosed with. Her cancer was a ‘metastatic malignancy of unknown primary origin’, which means cancer had spread in her body while the origin of a tumour was not known.
Christine’s family announced the sad news of her death last year, saying she had suffered a ‘short illness.’
Christine McVie’s cause of death has been revealed
McVie, the co-lead vocalist and keyboardist of Fleetwood Mac
‘On behalf of Christine McVie’s family, it is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine’s death,’ the family wrote in a statement at the time. ‘She passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th, 2022, following a short illness. She was in the company of her family.’
Her family added: ‘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 in the Lake District village of Bouth, Cumbria, in 1943, she grew up near Birmingham.
The musician studied at art school and qualified as an art teacher – but instead became one of the few women involved in the British blues boom of the late 1960s, joining a band called Chicken Shack and also releasing a solo album.
She married Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie in 1968 and by 1970 was an integral part of the group.
When Americans Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined drummer Mick Fleetwood and the McVies in 1974, the band’s style was transformed, with Miss McVie, Nicks and Buckingham all contributing songs to their eponymous first album together and to Rumours, which sold more than 40million copies worldwide.
Further albums followed, including Tusk, Mirage and Tango in the Night. All three songwriters also released solo albums.
Christine left Fleetwood Mac in 1998 after the death of her father but eventually returned to tour alongside her bandmates in 2014.
Her former bandmates said they’re devastated by the loss, describing her as ‘the best friend anyone could have in their life’ (Pictured left to right, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, and Lindsey Buckingham)
Cause of death It has now been confirmed the singer-songwriter died after a stroke, with her death certificate being seen by The Blast (L-R: John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Bob Welch and Christine pictured in 1974)
Singers Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac pose for a portrait in 1987 in Los Angeles, California
Fleetwood Mac described Christine McVie as as ‘the best friend anyone could have in their life’
Her bandmates released a joint statement saying: ‘There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie.
Though Mick and Stevie later posted their own personal messages on social media.
‘This is a day where my dear sweet Friend Christine McVie has taken to flight and left us earthbound folks to listen with bated breath to the sounds of that ‘song bird,’ reminding one and all that love is all around us to reach for and touch in this precious life that is gifted to us,’ Mick wrote.
‘Part of my heart has flown away today… I will miss everything about you Christine McVie. Memories abound… they fly to me. Mick Fleetwood.’
Stevie said she had not known Christine was ill until just days before she passed, and had wanted to visit her in London.
‘A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975, had passed away,’ she wrote in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
‘I didn’t even know she was ill… until late Saturday night. I wanted to be in London, I wanted to get to London – but we were told to wait. So, since Saturday, one song has been swirling around my head, over and over and over. I thought I might possibly get to sing it to her, and so I’m singing it to her now. I always knew I would need these words one day… It’s all I can do now.’
Stevie then shared lyrics to the song Hallelujah by Haim, handwritten, adding: ‘See you on the other side my love. Don’t forget me. Always, Stevie.’
McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971 as a permanent member, and the band achieved even greater popularity with the addition of Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in the mid-1970s
Stevie Nicks shares moving tribute to her ‘best friend’ Christine McVie – as Fleetwood Mac keyboardist dies at 79: ‘See you on the other side, my love’
After a 15-year hiatus, she started to get the itch to perform again and reached out to Mick Fleetwood to propose a potential reunion
British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac were founded in London in 1967 and sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful groups in history.
Their best-known songs include Dreams, Go Your Own Way and Everywhere.
Despite its tumultuous history, Fleetwood Mac became one of the best-known rock bands of the 1970s and 80s, comprising Mick Fleetwood, Christine and John McVie, as well as Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
Perhaps their best-known album, Rumours – released in 1977, became one of the best-selling of all time and included hits such as Second Hand News and You Make Loving Fun. In addition to several multi-platinum tracks, the record sold more than 40million copies worldwide.
A statement from the band posted to Twitter after her death described Christine as ‘truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure’.
‘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,’ the statement read.
‘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.’
Overcome with emotion, Nicks delivered a second, more intimate eulogy just hours later, which reduced some fans to tears. In the handwritten letter, Nicks paid tribute to her ‘best friend in the whole world, since the first day of 1975’, noting she ‘didn’t even know she was ill until late Saturday night’
McVie opened up earlier this year about her ‘thrilling’ years in the band
She had a successful solo career and returned to the stage alongside her former bandmates in 2013 after a long 15-year hiatus
Singer-songwriter and keyboardist Christine penned Songbird, one of the band’s most famous tracks, as well as You Make Loving Fun, Oh Daddy and Little Lies.
Duran Duran bassist John Taylor said at the time of her death that Christine had ‘radiated both purity and sass in equal measure’.
‘So so sad to hear about Christine McVie, an artist I held dear and close to my heart,’ Taylor posted from the band’s account.
‘One of the greatest all time songwriters, singers, and band members, she radiated both purity and sass in equal measure, bringing light to the music of the 70s. RIP. – John.’
Another tribute came from US musician Sheryl Crow, who wrote: ‘I am so sad to hear of Christine McVie going on to heaven. The world feels weird without her here. What a legend and an icon and an amazing human being. RIP.’
In 1970, Christine released her first solo album, Christine Perfect, after her maiden name. In an interview last year, she told Uncut magazine: ‘There’s maybe a couple of good songs on it.’
It took Christine another 14 years to release a follow-up solo album – titled Christine McVie – before releasing another album In The Meantime in 2004.
Bette Midler joined the chorus of devastated fans and celebrities paying tribute to McVie and offering condolences to her family and former bandmates last November
Last June, the singer-songwriter released another album titled Songbird, a collection of songs drawn from two of her previous solo albums. She was among the eight members of the band who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
McVie left the band in 1998 after almost three decades but re-joined in 2014 when a one-off appearance at the O2 reignited her love of performing.
At the time she 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.’
In 2017, she appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, revealing that she had retreated from the world and developed agoraphobia after she quit the band and moved from California to Kent.
Christine’s death comes two years after Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green died at the age of 73.
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