Danny Kirwan, who was a former British guitarist for the legendary band, Fleetwood Mac, made headlines when he sadly passed away at the age of 68 on June 9. Mick Fleetwood, 70, who recruited Danny to play with the band back in1968, confirmed the musician’s death on the band’s Facebook with a tribute but he didn’t give a cause. “Today was greeted by the sad news of the passing of Danny Kirwan in London, England,” Mick wrote on the page. “Danny was a huge force in our early years. His love for the Blues led him to being asked to join Fleetwood Mac in 1968, where he made his musical home for many years. Danny’s true legacy, in my mind, will forever live on in the music he wrote and played so beautifully as a part of the foundation of Fleetwood Mac, that has now endured for over fifty years. Thank you, Danny Kirwan. You will forever be missed!” Here are five things you should know about Danny.
1.) He started playing guitar and singing with Fleetwood Mac when he was 18-years-old. He went on to play on five of their albums starting in 1968 with his first appearance being on the hit song “Albatross”. The last album her recorded with the band was 1972’s Bare Trees.
2.) His alcoholism got him fired from the band. In 1972, during the tour for Bare Trees, Danny was let go due to his struggles with substance abuse. Despite the departure, he decided to stay in music and went on to release four solo albums.
3.) After working as a solo artist, he became homeless and struggled with mental health issues. Mick asked the Missing Person Bureau to look for Danny when he couldn’t be found and in a rare interview with The Independent in 1993, Danny talked about not having a home. “I’ve been through a bit of a rough patch but I’m not too bad,” he said. “I get by and I suppose I am homeless, but then I’ve never really had a home since our early days on tour. I couldn’t handle it all mentally and I had to get out. I can’t settle.”
4.) He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Danny was presented with the honor along with seven other members of Fleetwood Mac, including Mick, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Peter Green, John McVie, Christine McVie and Jeremy Spencer. He wasn’t present, however, for the induction ceremony.
5.) He was married once. His first and only marriage ended in divorce a few years later. He also has one son.