Fleetwood Mac guitarist, singer ushered in new era

Guitarist and singer Bob Welch, whose work in the early 1970s for Fleetwood Mac set the stage for the band’s multiplatinum success later in the decade has died at the age of 66.

As a singer and guitarist for the group, Mr. Welch was lesser known than the pair who replaced him — Mr. Welch left the band in 1974, and his departure set the stage for Fleetwood Mac’s hit-making lineup when Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were hired to take his place.

That would become the group’s most successful lineup, releasing the 1975 album “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours,” the band’s acclaimed 1977 hit album.

“My era was the bridge era,” 

Mr. Welch told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1998, after he was excluded from the Fleetwood Mac lineup inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “It was a transition. But it was an important period in the history of the band. Mick Fleetwood dedicated a whole chapter of his biography to my era of the band and credited me with ‘saving Fleetwood Mac.’ Now they want to write me out of the history of the group.”

Mr. Welch went solo and scored a top 20 hit in 1977 with “Ebony Eyes.” The album from which it was culled, “French Kiss,” featured a number of former Fleetwood Mac members, as well as a rendition of “Sentimental Lady,” a song originally recorded with Fleetwood Mac but reworked by Mr. Welch.  Over the next six years Mr. Welch released five more studio albums, but none was as successful as his debut.

He continued to record music for the next two decades; his final album was “His Fleetwood Mac Years and Beyond, Vol. 2.”

Mick Fleetwood tells Reuters Bob Welch's suicide "incredibly out of character"

Mick Fleetwood, one of the founding members of Fleetwood Mac and Welch's manager during his solo career, had remained in close contact with his former band mate over the years and told Reuters that Welch's suicide was "incredibly out of character."

Bob Welch and Mick Fleetwood - 1978 (Photo by Neal Preston)

"He was a very, very profoundly intelligent human being and always in good humor, which is why this is so unbelievably shocking," he said.

"He was a huge part of our history which sometimes gets forgotten ... mostly his legacy would be his songwriting abilities that he brought to Fleetwood Mac, which will survive all of us," Fleetwood said.

"If you look into our musical history, you'll see a huge period that was completely ensconced in Bob's work."

Reuters

Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks told The Associated Press that Welch's death hit her hard

Longtime Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks told The Associated Press that Welch's death hit her hard.

California Jam 1978 (Ontario, California)

"The death of Bob Welch is devastating ... I had many great times with him after Lindsey and I joined Fleetwood Mac. He was an amazing guitar player — he was funny, sweet — and he was smart. I am so very sorry for his family and for the family of Fleetwood Mac — so, so sad ..."

Founding member Mick Fleetwood did not immediately respond to e-mails from The Associated Press

Oh No!! Former Fleetwood Mac Member Bob Welch Dead at 65

Former Fleetwood Mac Member Bob Welch Dead at 65 Guitarist committed suicide in his Nashville home

Former Fleetwood Mac member Bob Welch has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 65, the Associated Press reports. Welch was found dead by his wife in their Nashville home today just after noon. According to Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron, the musician had been dealing with health issues recently and left a suicide note.

Welch was a guitarist and vocalist in Fleetwood Mac from 1971 until 1974. He joined the group along with Christine and John McVie, and helped establish a more melodic direction for the band after the departure of guitarist Peter Green. He was the sole guitarist on Heroes Are Hard to Find, which was his last record with the band. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group shortly after Welch's exit.

Welch went on to pursue a solo career, with Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood serving as his manager well into the Eighties. He scored a handful of hits, including "Sentimental Lady," a cut featuring backing vocals by Buckingham and Christine McVie, in 1977, and "Ebony Eyes" in 1978.

ROLLINGSTONE

I'm stunned and shocked at todays news... Such a pivotal & important player in the early days of Fleetwood Mac.  His departure from the group made way for Stevie and Lindsey to join.

Bob was part of Fleetwood Mac's 1971 album "Future Games", 1972's "Bare Trees", 1973's "Penguin" 1973's "Mystery To Me" and 1974's "Heroes Are Hard To Find"

We owe him a lot!  We've lost two former members in this year alone!  Today is a sad day.  RIP Bob Welch.