Christine McVie
b. Christine Perfect, 12 July 1944, Birmingham, England. Having begun her musical career playing bass in the Birmingham-based Shades Of Blue, Perfect joined two other ex-members, Andy Sylvester and Stan Webb, in Chicken Shack, a blues group signed to Mike Vernon's nascent Blue Horizon label. Between April 1967 and August 1969, she was featured on piano and vocals, and her impassioned reading of the Etta James classic, I'd Rather Go Blind, became the band's best-known and most successful release. Perfect left Chicken Shack on completion of O.K. KEN. Now married to John McVie, bassist in Fleetwood Mac, she had tired of the couple's alternating lives on the road. A 1969 poll in Melody Makervoted her Female Vocalist Of The Year, and in deference to the publicity surrounding this award, the singer instigated the Christine Perfect Band, which included former Yardbirds’ guitarist Top Topham. She made her solo recording debut with CHRISTINE PERFECT, a low-key but absorbing collection, before joining Fleetwood Mac in August 1970 in place of guitarist Peter Green. Christine's skills as a pianist, vocalist and composer were steadying influences during the group's turbulent years. Although the arrival of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham introduced a musical consistency, personal problems now wracked the band. Her marriage to John McVie ended, a break-up detailed on the singer's stellar contributions to the phenomenally successful RUMOURS. Although several members of Fleetwood Mac began pursuing their own directions in the early '80s, it was not until 1984, following the release of the group's MIRAGE album, that Christine unveiled her second solo selection. The album confirmed her varied prowess and McVie's in-concert appearances proved highly popular. However, her contributions to the film soundtrack of A FINE MESS aside, the singer has since concentrated on Fleetwood Mac's career. Indeed, the departure of Buckingham in the wake of TANGO IN THE NIGHT, coupled with Nick's divided loyalties between her own recordings and those of the band allowed Christine's talent to flourish on the 1990 release, BEHIND THE MASK.