Fleetwood Mac‘s keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie died at the age of 79, the band announced on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. “There are no words to express our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie,” the band’s social media statement began. “She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. 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.”
In a separate statement (via Deadline), Christine’s family said she “passed away peacefully at [the] hospital” Wednesday morning “following a short illness.” Christine was surrounded by family at the time of her death, although who exactly supported her as she took her last breath is unknown. Christine, like her bandmate Stevie Nicks, had no children, despite being married twice.
Christine was married to two musicians during her lifetime who both happened to be associated with Fleetwood Mac. Her first husband was Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, while her second husband was Eddy Quintela, who helped write a number of the beloved band’s songs. Learn more about their marriages below.
John McVie and Christine McVie
John McVie, 77, and Christine’s love story began before they were bandmates in one of the most successful rock groups of all time. They were dating when John was scouted for the band — which consisted of guitarists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer and drummer Mick Fleetwood — in 1967. In 1968, John and Christine tied the knot, and two years later, the talented keyboardist would join the band.
Although they collaborated for decades to come, John and Christine’s marriage lasted less than 10 years, as they split in 1976. “I dare say, if I hadn’t joined Fleetwood Mac, we might still be together,” Christine frankly theorized to Rolling Stone in Oct. 1997. “I just think it’s impossible to work in the band with your spouse. Imagine the tension of living with someone 24 hours a day, on the road, in an already stressful situation, with the added negativity of too much alcohol.”
A few years later, after John married his second and current wife, Julie Ann Rubens, the “Little Lies” songwriter opened up a bit more about why their marriage didn’t work out. “We just reached a point where we couldn’t be in the same room together,” she recalled to Rolling Stone in July 1984. “We’d probably spent more time with one another than most couples who have lived together for twenty-five years. We had no individuality, no separation.” She also said she was “really, really happy” for John when he walked down the aisle again.
Eddy Quintela and Christine McVie
Eddy Quintela and Christine walked down the aisle in 1986 and went their separate ways in 2003. While very little is known about their relationship, it is known that they penned some songs for Fleetwood Mac, such as the band’s 1990 single “Save Me” and 1987’s “Little Lies”.