Christine McVie dies at 79: A fifty year crush comes to an end

One of the best benefits of attending a big college is on-campus rock concerts. Sure, you can get that experience while in high school, but it’s so much nicer not to have to sneak off to a venue in a shady part of town and hiding it from your parents. It’s also great that no matter your condition, you can usually make it back to crash at your dorm instead of again trying to avoid a parent or two.

I started college at the University of Oklahoma in the fall of 1970. The first concert at our field house was Grand Funk Railroad. They were followed a bit later by The Moody Blues. That was it for a couple of years. No one knows or remembers why the school’s administration pulled the plug on live music, only that they did.

A couple of years later, two independent promoters pulled together enough money to bring a band to town. That band was Fleetwood Mac.

One of my roommates was working as an usher for the show. When he saw me roaming around, he got me a seat in the front row.

I don’t remember much about that concert. I believe it was the Bob Welch version of FM, but I’m not totally sure. The only thing I know is Lindsey and Stevie weren’t yet in the band. In the corner of the stage, playing keyboards was the stunning Christine McVie. It was the start of a decades-long crush.

From the beginning, Christine was my favorite Fleetwood Mac member. What was not to love? Her songs were easily accessible, her voice was beautifully calm, she had her own classy style and while the band always seemed to be dysfunctional, she added a sense of serenity that gave them a bit of normalcy.

When the band’s latest tour ended a few years ago, no one knew if they would return. Being on the road is a grind for younger musicians, but for those in their mid-seventies, a tour has to be brutal. McVie said she wasn’t sure she could do it because of health issues, especially her back, but would try to suck it up if there was going to be a Fleetwood Mac goodbye tour.

That was the first anyone knew of any of her health problems, other than her family and close friends. Even Stevie Nicks has said she wasn’t aware of her illness until last weekend. That’s why it was so stunning to hear of her death yesterday after what was said to be a short illness.

Recently, you can hear her as the voice of Chevy commercials singing “Everywhere.” But, there are so many more great classic rock hits such as “Say You Love Me”, “You Make Loving Fun”, “Don’t Stop" and “Songbird.” Those tunes and everything I said above is her legacy…and what a legacy she left.

So long to Christine McVie. I thought we’d have you around for quite a bit longer, but it was not to be. I’ll just have to settle for a fifty-year crush.