Christine McVie

1.1. Childhood and Education

Christine Anne Perfect was born on 12 July 1943 in the village of Greenodd, in the Furness area of Lancashire, England. She grew up in the Bearwood area of Smethwick near Birmingham. Her father, Cyril Percy Absell Perfect, was a concert violinist and a music lecturer at St Peter's College of Education in Saltley, Birmingham, and also taught violin at St Philip's Grammar School. Her mother, Beatrice Edith Maud (née Reece), was a medium, psychic, and faith healer. McVie's grandfather was an organist at Westminster Abbey, further highlighting her family's musical lineage.

She was introduced to the piano at the age of four but did not begin serious study until she was 11, when a local musician, a friend of her brother John, reintroduced her to it. She continued classical training until she was 15, after which her musical focus shifted towards rock and roll when her brother acquired a Fats Domino songbook. She studied sculpture at Moseley School of Art in Birmingham for five years, with the intention of becoming an art teacher. During her time at art school, she became acquainted with aspiring musicians within Britain's burgeoning blues scene. After graduating, she briefly worked as a department-store window dresser in London, as she lacked sufficient funds to pursue a career in art.

1.2. Early Musical Influences

Her early musical influences were diverse, ranging from classical piano training to the burgeoning sounds of rock and roll. Key artists who shaped her musical development included Fats Domino and the Everly Brothers. Her exposure to the British blues scene during her art school years also profoundly influenced her.

2.1. Sounds of Blue and Early Bands

McVie's introduction to performing music came when she met guitarist Stan Webb and bass player Andy Silvester, who were members of a band called Sounds of Blue. Recognizing her musical talent, they invited her to join them. She also performed as a singer with Spencer Davis. Sounds of Blue eventually disbanded after McVie graduated from art college.

2.2. Chicken Shack

In 1967, McVie learned that Silvester and Webb were forming a new blues band, to be named Chicken Shack, and were seeking a pianist. She contacted them and was invited to join as a pianist, keyboard player, and backing vocalist. Chicken Shack's debut release was "It's Okay with Me Baby," a song written by and featuring McVie. She remained with the band for two studio albums, during which her genuine affinity for the blues became evident through her Sonny Thompson-style piano playing and her authentic "bluesy" voice.

Chicken Shack achieved a hit with their cover of Ellington Jordan's "I'd Rather Go Blind", which prominently featured McVie on lead vocals. Her talent was recognized with a Melody Maker award for UK's best female vocalist in both 1969 and 1970. She departed from Chicken Shack in 1969, having married Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie a year prior, as she felt it would be difficult to see her husband if they were in separate touring bands.

2.3. First Solo Album

After leaving Chicken Shack, and encouraged to continue her musical career, McVie recorded her debut solo studio album, Christine Perfect, in 1970. This album was later reissued under the title The Legendary Christine Perfect Album.

3.1. Joining Fleetwood Mac

McVie was a fan of Fleetwood Mac, and the two bands, both signed to the Blue Horizon label, frequently crossed paths during tours. She initially contributed to Fleetwood Mac as a session musician, playing piano on Peter Green's songs for their second studio album, Mr. Wonderful, released in 1968. She also provided uncredited piano and backing vocals for their 1970 album, Kiln House, and created the album's artwork.

In 1970, following the departure of founding member Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac invited McVie to officially join the band as a keyboard player. The band had been struggling to maintain their sound without Green and needed another musician to fill the void. A devoted fan of the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac, McVie easily integrated into the group, having learned all the lyrics to their songs during rehearsals for Kiln House. She quickly became an integral member, serving as keyboard player, songwriter, and a prominent female lead vocalist. Mick Fleetwood later stated that Christine "became the glue [that held the band together]. She filled out our sound beautifully." The first studio album on which McVie appeared as a full band member was Future Games in 1971. This album also marked her first collaboration with American guitarist and songwriter Bob Welch, who had replaced founding member Jeremy Spencer.

3.2. The Buckingham/Nicks Era and Breakthrough

In 1974, McVie relocated to California with the rest of Fleetwood Mac. Following the release of Heroes are Hard to Find, Bob Welch departed, and the band welcomed Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham from the duo Buckingham Nicks. This new lineup now featured two female lead vocalists who were also prolific songwriters. McVie and Nicks formed an immediate bond, finding that their voices blended seamlessly.

On the new lineup's first studio album, Fleetwood Mac (1975), McVie wrote and sang lead on four tracks: "Warm Ways", "Over My Head", "Say You Love Me", and "Sugar Daddy". She also shared a songwriting credit with Buckingham for "World Turning". The album yielded several hit songs, with McVie's "Over My Head" and "Say You Love Me" both reaching the Billboard top-20 singles chart. "Over My Head" was particularly instrumental in establishing Fleetwood Mac on American radio and propelling them into the national top 20.

In 1976, McVie began an on-the-road affair with the band's lighting director, Curry Grant, which served as the inspiration for her song "You Make Loving Fun". This track became a top-10 hit from their subsequent album, Rumours (1977), one of the best-selling albums of all time. Her biggest hit from Rumours was "Don't Stop", which reached the top five on the charts. This song gained further prominence when it was adopted as Bill Clinton's presidential campaign song and was performed at his 1993 inauguration. Rumours also featured McVie's "Songbird", a poignant ballad showcasing her piano playing with Buckingham's acoustic guitar accompaniment.

3.3. 1980s and 1990s Activities

By the conclusion of the Rumours tour, Christine and John McVie had divorced, though Christine continued to use her married name professionally. From the 1979 double studio album Tusk, McVie had a US top-20 hit with "Think About Me". While Tusk produced three top-20 hits ("Tusk", "Sara", and "Think About Me"), it did not achieve the same level of success as Rumours, leading to it being considered a relative disappointment. Following the Tusk tour, which extended into 1980, the band took a hiatus.

They reunited in 1981 to record the studio album Mirage at the Château d'Hérouville's studio in France. Released in 1982, Mirage propelled the band back to the top of the US charts and featured the top-five hit "Hold Me", which McVie co-wrote. Her inspiration for "Hold Me" stemmed from her complex relationship with the Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, whose accidental drowning death years later deeply saddened her. Her song "Love in Store" became the third single from the album in the United States, peaking at number 22 in early 1983.

McVie's second solo studio album, Christine McVie, released in 1984, included the hits "Got a Hold on Me" (number 10 US pop, number one adult contemporary and number one Mainstream Rock Tracks) and "Love Will Show Us How" (number 30 US pop). A third single, "I'm the One", was released but did not chart. Reflecting on the album, McVie stated, "Maybe it isn't the most adventurous album in the world, but I wanted to be honest and please my own ears with it."

On 18 October 1986, McVie married Portuguese keyboardist and songwriter Eddy Quintela. They collaborated on several songs featured on subsequent Fleetwood Mac albums, including "Little Lies". She rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 1987 to record the Tango in the Night studio album, which became the band's biggest success since Rumours, reaching the top five in both the UK and US. "Little Lies", co-written with Quintela, was the album's biggest hit. Another McVie single from the album, "Everywhere", reached number four in the UK, marking the band's third-highest UK chart peak, and peaked at number 14 in the U.S.

In 1990, the band, now without Buckingham, recorded Behind the Mask, which achieved Gold status in the US and Platinum status in the UK, entering the UK album chart at number one. McVie's song "Save Me" reached the US top 40, and "Skies the Limit", the second US single from the album, was a hit on the adult contemporary chart.

McVie's father, Cyril Perfect, died in 1990 while she was on the Behind the Mask tour, leading her to decide to retire from touring. Despite this, she remained involved with the band, writing and recording a new track, "Love Shines", for the 1992 box set 25 Years - The Chain. She also contributed five songs to the 1995 studio album Time, released after Stevie Nicks' departure. In the mid-1990s, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie collaborated with Buckingham on one of his solo projects, with Christine McVie providing vocals and keyboards on some tracks. This collaboration led to a proposed reunion, and with Nicks rejoining, Fleetwood Mac recorded the 1997 live album, The Dance, which reached number one on the US album charts.

McVie returned to touring for the group's 1998 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as for performances at the Grammy Awards show and the Brit Awards in the UK. However, she decided not to continue with Fleetwood Mac after 1998, citing a developed phobia about flying as a primary reason.

3.4. Hiatus and Semi-Retirement (1998-2014)

After The Dance, McVie returned to England to be closer to her family and largely withdrew from public life until 2000, when she accepted an honorary doctorate in music from the University of Greenwich. Five years after her departure from Fleetwood Mac, she and Quintela divorced in 2003.

In a 2004 interview, McVie admitted to no longer listening extensively to pop music, expressing a preference for Classic FM. She appeared as a session musician on the band's last studio album, Say You Will (2003), contributing keyboards and backing vocals on two tracks, "Bleed to Love Her" and "Steal Your Heart Away". In December 2003, she attended Fleetwood Mac's final UK performance of the Say You Will tour in London but did not join her former bandmates on stage. That same year, she released her third solo studio album, In the Meantime, which she co-produced with her nephew, Dan Perfect, in a renovated barn in Kent, England. Dan Perfect also played guitar, sang backing vocals, and contributed songs to the album. She did not tour in support of this album but gave interviews to select UK and US press.

In 2006, McVie was honored with the Gold Badge of Merit Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA), now known as The Ivors Academy, at a ceremony held at London's Savoy Hotel. That same year, Paste magazine recognized McVie, alongside bandmates Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, as the 83rd-greatest living songwriter or songwriting team. McVie did not participate in Fleetwood Mac's final UK performance of the Unleashed tour in November 2009. In December 2012, Stevie Nicks publicly downplayed the likelihood of McVie rejoining the group, stating, "She went to England and she has never been back since 1998... as much as we would all like to think that she'll just change her mind one day, I don't think it'll happen... We love her, so we had to let her go."

In October 2013, it was announced that McVie was recording a solo studio album, her first in nine years, though this album was ultimately never released.

3.5. Return to Fleetwood Mac (2014 onwards)

In 2013, McVie made her first stage appearance in 15 years, performing with the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, which included Mick Fleetwood and former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Rick Vito, in Maui, Hawaii. Later that September, she joined Fleetwood Mac on stage for the first time in 15 years to perform "Don't Stop" at the O₂ Arena in London. She performed on two dates, and her appearance was met with enthusiastic applause.

On 11 January 2014, Mick Fleetwood announced during a concert in Maui that McVie would be rejoining the band, a decision officially confirmed two days later.

In August 2016, Mick Fleetwood revealed that while the band had a significant amount of recorded music, very little of it featured Stevie Nicks. However, Buckingham and McVie had contributed numerous songs to the new project. Fleetwood expressed hope that it would evolve beyond just a duet album, noting, "She [McVie]... wrote up a storm... She and Lindsey could probably have a mighty strong duet album if they want. In truth, I hope it will come to more than that. There really are dozens of songs. And they're really good. So we'll see."

The collaborative studio album Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie was released on 9 June 2017, preceded by the single "In My World". A 38-date tour commenced on 21 June 2017 and concluded on 16 November. Eight of the album's ten tracks were performed live, with the remainder of the setlist comprising Fleetwood Mac songs and Buckingham's solo material. The Wallflowers served as the opening act on select nights. In June, the duo appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform "In My World". Additional North American shows were added in August, including dates in Los Angeles and New York City. Another North American leg began in October, adding 22 more shows.

Fleetwood Mac headlined the second night of the Classic West concert on 16 July 2017 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and the second night of the Classic East concert at New York City's Citi Field on 30 July 2017. On 9 April 2018, Fleetwood Mac announced that Mike Campbell and Neil Finn would join the band to replace lead guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. In 2019, McVie was featured in the 90-minute BBC documentary Fleetwood Mac's Songbird - Christine McVie, directed by Matt O'Casey. In 2022, a compilation album titled Songbird (A Solo Collection) was released.

6.1. Marriages and Relationships

McVie married John McVie in 1968, with Peter Green serving as the best man. Instead of a traditional honeymoon, they celebrated at a hotel in Birmingham with Joe Cocker, who happened to be staying there, before embarking on tours with their respective bands. The couple divorced in 1976 but maintained a close friendship and professional partnership. During the production of Fleetwood Mac's landmark album Rumours, Christine had an affair with the band's lighting engineer, Curry Grant, which famously inspired her song "You Make Loving Fun". From 1979 to 1982, she dated Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. Their relationship was described as tortured, and his accidental drowning death years later deeply saddened her.

On 18 October 1986, McVie married Portuguese keyboardist and songwriter Eddy Quintela. Quintela and McVie collaborated on several songs, including the hit "Little Lies". They divorced in 2003, and Quintela passed away in 2020.

6.2. Residences

During the peak of Fleetwood Mac's success in the 1970s, McVie resided in Los Angeles. In 1990, she moved to a Grade II-listed Tudor manor house in Wickhambreaux, near Canterbury in Kent, England. She retired to this home after leaving Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and used the peaceful country setting to work on her solo material and restore the house. After rejoining Fleetwood Mac in 2014, she began spending more time in London and put the Kent house on the market in 2015.

7.1. Death

Christine McVie died in hospital on 30 November 2022, at the age of 79. Her cause of death was a stroke, and she had also been suffering from metastatic cancer of unknown primary origin.

Following her death, Fleetwood Mac released a statement describing her as "the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life." Fellow band member Stevie Nicks shared an emotional tribute, stating that McVie had been her "best friend in the whole world."

7.2. Musical Impact and Recognition

McVie's musical impact is profound, characterized by her exceptional songwriting prowess, soulful vocal contributions, and critical reception. She was widely recognized as a key creative force within Fleetwood Mac, described as the "prime mover behind some of Fleetwood Mac's biggest hits." Her distinctive contralto voice and her ability to craft emotionally resonant songs, often focused on themes of love and relationships, defined a significant portion of the band's sound, particularly during their most commercially successful period. Her compositions, such as "Don't Stop," "Everywhere," "Little Lies," "You Make Loving Fun," "Over My Head," and "Say You Love Me," became iconic anthems of the rock landscape. She is remembered as a pioneering female figure in rock music, whose talent as a singer, songwriter, and keyboardist left an indelible mark on popular music.

8.1. Solo and Collaboration Albums

8.2. Singles

8.3. With Chicken Shack

8.4. With Fleetwood Mac