April 11, 23

NEWS / Fleetwood Mac keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie died of stroke and cancer-death certificate

Christine McVie, the longtime keyboardist and vocalist of the British-American band Fleetwood Mac, died as a result of an ischemic stroke, which occurred following a diagnosis of metastatic cancer, according to McVie’s death certificate, which was obtained by The Blast. McVie died on November 30, 2022, at the age of 79. The death certificate was issued in London, United Kingdom. The ischemic stroke that McVie ultimately died of is described as occurring as a result of a blood clot that “blocks or narrows an artery leading to the brain,” according to The Blast. The death certificate also lists a “metastatic malignancy of unknown primary origin” as a secondary cause of death and mentions McVie’s atrial fibrillation, which causes rapid and irregular heart rhythm. McVie mentioned her poor health as a hurdle to performing live with the band. “I’m in quite bad health,” McVie stated in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I’ve got a chronic back problem that debilitates me. I stand up to play the piano, so I don’t know if I could actually physically do it. What’s that saying? The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.” The death certificate was revealed in court documents filed to settle the musician’s estate. Since she did not have children and was not married at the time of her death, the beneficiaries of McVie’s estate are her brother and his children. McVie’s net worth is estimated to be in excess of $50 million, with most of her assets in the United States. McVie became a member of the then fully British rock band Fleetwood Mac in 1970, shortly after marrying the band’s bassist John McVie. She became the band’s keyboardist and lead female vocalist, opposite an ever-rotating cast of male lead vocalists that included Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, and Dave Walker. Following the introduction of American musicians Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham as the band’s co-lead vocalists, the band released its most famous albums Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage, and Tango in the Night. While McVie was somewhat overshadowed by Stevie Nicks as the lead female vocalist, she continued to sing and play keyboards. McVie, who by that time had divorced the band’s bassist, but stayed on as a member, contributed to some of the band's most recognizable hits, such as Over My Head, Don’t Stop, Think About Me, Love in Store, Little Lies, and Everywhere.