Music
Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac Dead at Age 79
Christine McVie, the British-born Fleetwood Mac vocalist, songwriter, and keyboardist whose cool, soulful contralto helped define hits like “You Make Loving Fun,” “Everywhere,” and “Don’t Stop,” died on Wednesday at the age of 79.
Her passing was announced on the band’s social media pages. There was no immediate word on the cause of death or other details, but a family statement said she “passed away peacefully at the hospital this morning” with family by her side after a “short illness.”
“I was told a few hours ago that my best friend in the entire world since the first day of 1975 had passed away,” bandmate Stevie Nicks said in a handwritten note on Instagram.
She went on to say that one song has been “swirling around” in her head since learning of McVie’s illness, quoting the lyrics to HAIM’s “Hallelujah”: “I had a best friend/But she has passed.”
McVie was a consistent presence and personality in a band known for frequent lineup changes and volatile personalities, most notably fellow singer-songwriters Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
Christine’s death is the first among Fleetwood Mac’s most famous incarnations of McVie, Nicks, Buckingham, drummer Mick Fleetwood, and ex-husband, bassist John McVie. The band has toured without Buckingham in recent years after he was fired in 2018 and replaced on stage by Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.
Fleetwood Mac began in the 1960s as a London blues band and evolved into one of the defining makers of 1970s California pop-rock, with McVie, Nicks, and Buckingham anchoring the rhythm section of Fleetwood and John McVie.
From 1975 to 1980, the band sold millions of records and captivated fans by transforming personal battles into melodic, compelling songs. The McVies’ breakup and Nicks and Buckingham’s were famously documented on the 1977 album “Rumours,” which became one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Fleetwood and John McVie formed a deep and bluesy groove, Buckingham was the resident mad genius and perfectionist, Nicks was the charismatic dramatist and idol to countless young women, and Christine McVie was the grounded counterpoint, her economy as a singer and player well suited to her birth surname: Perfect.
“I was supposedly like Mother Teresa, hanging out with everyone or just trying to (keep) everything nice and cool and relaxed,” she told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “But they were wonderful people and wonderful friends.”
When Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, they performed McVie’s “Say You Love Me.” Other hit singles by the group included Nicks’ “Dreams,” Buckingham’s “Go Your Way,” and McVie’s “Little Lies.” The thoughtful ballad “Songbird,” one of McVie’s most beloved works, was a showcase for her in concert and was covered by Willie Nelson, among others.
The midtempo rocker “Don’t Stop,” inspired by her divorce, would gain unexpected political relevance when Bill Clinton adopted the song — and its refrain “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow” — as a theme for his 1992 presidential campaign. The band, which had essentially stopped making albums then, reformed for his inauguration gala performance.
McVie’s two marriages, to John McVie and Eduardo Quintela, were both annulled. Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys was one of her boyfriends, and she wrote “Only Over You” about him.
Christine Anne Perfect McVie was born in Bouth, Lancashire, into a musical family. Her father was a violinist and music teacher, and her grandfather was a Westminster Abbey organist. She had been studying the piano since childhood, but she abandoned her classical studies after hearing early rock records by Fats Domino and others.
She befriended various members of Britain’s emerging blues scene while studying at the Moseley School of Art, and in her twenties, she joined the band Chicken Shack as a singer and pianist. Among the rival bands she admired was Fleetwood Mac, which featured blues guitarist Peter Green and the rhythm section of Fleetwood and John McVie at the time. She had joined the group and married John McVie by 1970.
Against all odds, few bands have done as well as Fleetwood Mac, which has sold over 100 million records. Green was one of many performers who left the band, and Fleetwood Mac appeared to be on the verge of disbanding or fading away at various points. It was saved by unexpected returns, interventions, and one of rock’s most fortunate and profitable hunches.
Fleetwood Mac was reduced to three members in the mid-1970s: Fleetwood and the two McVies. While in Los Angeles, Fleetwood became aware of a young California duo, Buckingham and Nicks, who had recorded the little-known album “Buckingham Nicks.” Impressed by their sound, he planned to invite only Buckingham, but the guitarist insisted on including Nicks, his girlfriend.
The new lineup was almost immediately magical. Nicks and Christine McVie formed a lifelong friendship, agreeing that as two of rock’s few female rock stars, they would always be there for each other. And the harmonies and music of Nicks, Buckingham, and Christine McVie ensured that albums like “Fleetwood Mac,” “Rumours,” and “Mirage” had an enviable level of quality and variety of songwriting and vocal styles.
However, the group’s overwhelming success inevitably resulted in conflicts and a desire for solo work. Nicks rose to prominence in the decades that followed. McVie released solo albums such as “Christine McVie” and “Christine Perfect,” as well as “Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie,” a 2017 collaboration with Buckingham.
Celebrity
Celine Dion Says Living With Stiff Person Syndrome ‘Has Been One Of The Hardest Experiences Of My Life’
Celine Dion focuses on her family and the future while she deals with health issues.
On March 15, the iconic artist commemorated International Stiff Person Syndrome Awareness Day with an Instagram post in which she addressed her autoimmune illness, stating that it “has been one of the hardest experiences of my life.”
Celine Dion Says Living With Stiff Person Syndrome ‘Has Been One Of The Hardest Experiences Of My Life’
Dion said she is “determined to one day get back on stage and live as normal a life as possible.”
A picture of Celine’s three sons—René-Charles, Nelson, and Eddy—accompanied her heartfelt letter.
Celine had three children with her late husband, René Angélil, who died in 2016.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, stiff person syndrome (SPS) is an uncommon neurological disorder that causes spasms and muscle rigidity. It also causes increased sensitivity to stimuli such as sound, lighting, and emotional discomfort, which can trigger muscle spasms.
Celine Dion Says Living With Stiff Person Syndrome ‘Has Been One Of The Hardest Experiences Of My Life’
Dion first disclosed her diagnosis in 2022. She has ceased touring and performing live.
A documentary about the “My Heart Will Go On” singer, due to premiere on Prime Video, will follow her return to the stage.
On Friday,Celine stated in her caption that she is offering “encouragement and support to all those around the world who have been affected by SPS.”
“I want you to know that you can do it!” “We can do it,” she concluded.
Celine Dion is a powerhouse vocalist from Canada. She’s sold over 200 million albums worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists ever.
Dion shot to fame after winning the 1988 Eurovision song contest.
Celine Dion Says Living With Stiff Person Syndrome ‘Has Been One Of The Hardest Experiences Of My Life’
Her hits like “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic and “Because You Loved Me” showcased her incredible range and emotional delivery. Despite taking a break to care for her late husband René Angélil, Dion remains a Vegas headliner and touring force.
Her voice and resilience inspire fans globally.
SOURCE – (CNN)
Music
Steve Lawrence, One Half Of Popular Singing Duo Steve & Eydie, Dead At 88
Steve Lawrence, a Grammy and Emmy-winning pop singer who frequently performed with his late wife Eydie Gormé as the pair Stevie & Eydie, died Thursday, according to a statement from his publicist distributed to several sites.
He was 88.
Susan DuBow, Lawrence’s spokeswoman, reported his death in Los Angeles from Alzheimer’s illness. CNN has contacted DuBow for comment.
Steve Lawrence, One Half Of Popular Singing Duo Steve & Eydie, Dead At 88
David Lawrence, his son and a composer, said in a press release shared with Deadline: “My father was an inspiration to so many people. But, to me, he was just a nice, gorgeous, and hilariously amusing guy who sang frequently, sometimes alone, sometimes with his immensely gifted wife. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have him as a father, and I am immensely pleased to be his son. “I hope his contributions to the entertainment industry will be remembered for many years.
Carol Burnett, whose variety show Lawrence frequented in the 1970s, recalled him.
“Steve was one of the most popular guests on my variety show, appearing 39 times. He was a good friend, and I considered him ‘family.’ “He will always be in my heart,” Burnett stated in an Instagram post.
Lawrence was also an actor who appeared in many films and television shows over his career, including “The Blues Brothers,” “The Nanny,” and “Two and a Half Men.”
Lawrence, born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn, New York, began his musical career as the son of a cantor, singing and composing songs throughout his adolescence.
He was a teenager when he won the “Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts” television show, which allowed him to sing for a week on Godfrey’s radio show.
Steve Lawrence, One Half Of Popular Singing Duo Steve & Eydie, Dead At 88
In 1952, the silky balladeer recorded the single “Poinciana” under the stage name “Steve Lawrence”. Soon after, he became a regular on Steve Allen’s New York show, which later became “Tonight” when it went nationwide in 1954.
Lawrence met singer and fellow cast member Eydie Gormé then, and the two married in 1957. The following year, Lawrence was drafted into the United States Army, where he sang in the army band.
As a solo performer, he scored successes like “Go Away Little Girl,” “Pretty Blue Eyes,” and “Party Doll.”
He and his wife were well-known for their repertoire of American favourites when rock and roll were gaining popularity.
The couple starred together in the Broadway musical “Golden Rainbow” in the late 1960s, and a song from that production, “I’ve Gotta Be Me,” became well-known as part of their duet act.
Steve Lawrence, One Half Of Popular Singing Duo Steve & Eydie, Dead At 88
As Steve and Eydie, they rose to prominence on the variety TV show circuit and on stage in Las Vegas while maintaining independent careers.
Gormé, Lawrence’s partner and father of two sons, died in 2013.
SOURCE – (CNN)
Celebrity
Madonna Is Revealing More About Her Near-Death Health Scare
Madonna is discussing how bad her health issue was last summer.
She told the audience during the start of “The Celebration Tour”‘s five-night run in Los Angeles that her doctor, Dr. David Agus, and other medical team members were in attendance.
“It was strange to finally not feel like I was in control,” she said of the bacterial infection that sent her to the ICU in July.
Madonna Is Revealing More About Her Near-Death Health Scare
According to the footage of her remarks, Madonna went on to say, “I’ve fallen from a lot of horses and broken a lot of bones. I have a titanium hip. The list goes on and on, but nothing will stop me.
Madonna, who has previously discussed her recuperation during tour performances, called her medical episode a “near-death experience.”
“I am not kidding. It was quite scary. Obviously, I didn’t realize for four days because I was in an induced coma. But when I awoke, the first thing I said was ‘No.’ Anyway, it is what my assistant tells me.”
She said, “I’m pretty sure God was saying to me, ‘Do you want to come with us?'” Do you want to come with me? Do you want to go this way? And I replied, “No. No. No!”
She described Dr Agus as “a very special man in the audience tonight.”
Madonna Is Revealing More About Her Near-Death Health Scare
“He has put up with many funny phone calls from me. “When I was sick this summer and couldn’t walk from my bed to the toilet, I called him every other day and asked him why I didn’t have any energy,” she explained. “When was my energy going to come back? When was I going to feel like myself again? When can I go on tour again? When, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when And all he said was, ‘Go outside in the light.'”
When she replies that her flawless skin results from staying out of the sun, Dr. Agus says, “Go outdoors in the sun. “You need vitamin D to keep your kidneys working.”
“And I hate the sun, but I did it anyways, and it was so hard for me to walk from my house to the backyard and sit in the sun,” she said. “I know that seems insane, but it was difficult, and I had no idea when I’d be able to get up, be myself, or regain my energy. It was bizarre to finally feel out of control. That was my lesson about letting go.
Madonna Is Revealing More About Her Near-Death Health Scare
She ended with a thank you to “everyone who’s here who looked after me and listened to all of my endless complaining and need for predictions that I couldn’t have.” You are patient and compassionate, and you still are. You still help me care for everyone I know who is sick. Thank you so much wherever you are.
Finally, she expressed gratitude to her children, who “really helped me pull through, because they worked so hard and…I didn’t want to let them down.”
SOURCE – (CNN)
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