Mick Fleetwood shares tender post to mark anniversary of Christine McVie's passing

1 December 2023, 11:19

Mick Fleetwood and Friends celebrate the music of Peter Green

Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie died one year ago.

Fleetwood Mac's drummer Mick Fleetwood has paid tribute to his bandmate Christine McVie on the one year anniversary of her passing.

Christine died of cancer on November 30 last year at the age of 79.

• 'Go Your Own Way' by Fleetwood Mac: The making of the Rumours rock anthem
• Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks is working on film inspired by ‘Rhiannon’
• Listen to the Gold Greats Live Playlist on Global Player, the home of Gold

"Dear Chris, a year ago today you flew away, and memories come flooding back ❤️ Too many to mention!" said Mick.

"I miss you .. Fleetwood Mac misses you... along with so many that loved your music 🎼❤️. Always love, Mick Fleetwood"

Earlier this year, Mick shared a very special instrumental cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Songbird' – written and originally sung by Christine – recorded with ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mick Fleetwood (@mickfleetwoodofficial)

The song opens with Mick's spoken-word recitation of McVie's classic chorus.

"When I heard about Christine’s upcoming birthday, it felt like the right time to share this as a tribute to all the lovely music she created, both on her own and with Fleetwood Mac," Mick said at the time.

"When something is that well known, it becomes hallowed ground to a certain extent. But when we did it, I remember there was a hush when we listened back, and we felt that we had touched on something."

Songbird

After Christine's death, Mick shared his touching eulogy from her memorial service, which started: "Part of my heart has flown away today, I will miss everything about you."

Fleetwood and bass player John McVie were the only ever-presents in the Fleetwood Mac lineup since the group's first album in 1967, when the band was fronted by mercurial Peter Green.

Christine joined the band in 1970, with Stevie Nicks following in 1975. Mainstay Lindsey Buckingham was forced from the group in 2018 and replaced by Neil Finn from Crowded House and Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

The last Fleetwood Mac show was a career-spanning set at Oracle Park in San Francisco on November 20, 2019, and Mick has since revealed that after Christine's death it is unlikely that the band will ever play live again.

"I think right now, I truly think the line in the sand has been drawn with the loss of Chris," Mick said earlier this year.

"I'd say we’re done, but then we’ve all said that before. It's sort of unthinkable right now."