July 31, 1946 – June 7, 2012

Former Fleetwood Mac vocalist and guitarist Bob Welch has been found dead of an apparent suicide. He was 66.

Welch, who rose to fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac between 1971 and 1974, was found by his wife with a single gunshot wound to his chest. There was a suicide note left nearby and authorities believe he pulled the trigger at around 12:15 pm.

Law enforcement officials add that the musician had been experiencing health problems in recent months.

 “Officers discovered Mr Welch with a single gunshot wound to the chest,” said Don Aaron of Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. “There was a suicide note found at the residence. There was no evidence of foul play.”

Welch first joined the band after original guitarists Jeremy Spencer and Peter Green left the group. He was pivotal in moving the band’s direction from their original blues heavy style to the more melodic and pop centric sound that would eventually transcend Fleetwood Mac to global stardom, although not until after he left the band himself.

Founding drummer Mick Fleetwood said: “Bob was a very, very profoundly intelligent human being and always in good humour. His legacy would be the songwriting abilities that he brought to Fleetwood Mac, which will survive all of us.”

 

 

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