Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie’s Cause of Death Revealed: ‘Massive Stroke’ Amid ‘Aggressive Form of Cancer’

The death of Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie in November of 2022 shook the world. Her cause of death was not given at the time. Now, it appears the musician battled cancer in the months leading up to her death. 

Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac died in 2022 after revealing she was ‘in quite bad health’

McVie died on November 30, 2022, at the age of 79. Her death was announced by her family through social media. While a cause of death was not immediately given, it was assumed the piano player had succumbed to one of the health issues she had alluded to in the past. 

In a June 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, McVie said she was “in quite bad health.” She added that her “chronic back problem” could keep her from touring, as she wouldn’t be able to stand up and play piano for a whole show. 

Christine McVie’s death certificate reveals stroke and metastatic cancer were behind her death

Christine McVie’s death certificate, obtained by The Blast, revealed the Fleetwood Mac star’s cause of death. She had an “ischaemic stroke,” possibly caused by her metastatic cancer. The stroke, which is the most common kind of stroke, created a blood clot in an artery leading to the brain. 

The singer’s cancer was described as a “metastatic malignancy of unknown primary origin,” meaning that the cancer had spread in her body, but the primary source or tumor was not detected. The cancer was listed as the secondary cause of death on her death certificate. 

The death certificate also revealed that McVie was suffering from atrial fibrillation, a common type of heart arrhythmia. This could mean that her heart was beating too slowly, too quickly, or in some other irregular way. 

The death certificate was released as lawyers attempt to settle her estate. McVie, who did not have any children, left behind a fortune of $50 million. According to a court filing, her brother and his children are listed as beneficiaries, as well as several charitable organizations. 

Christine McVie had a hand in some of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits

McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in the early 70s after meeting the group while performing with her own band, Chicken Shack. She and Fleetwood Mac bass player John McVie also struck up a relationship and got married in 1968. She served as the keyboard player, songwriter, and vocalist in the group, and moved with the rest of the band to California in 1974. 

After adding guitarist and vocalist Lindsey Buckingham and his girlfriend, singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks, to the band’s lineup, Fleetwood Mac achieved huge success with the self-titled 1975 album. 

Fleetwood Mac’s biggest album came in 1977, with Rumours. McVie wrote two of the album’s popular songs, the single “Don’t Stop,” and the piano ballad “Songbird.” By the end of the Rumours world tour, the McVies were divorced, but remained amicable. McVie continued to tour and make music with Fleetwood Mac for decades, but her last performance with the band came in 2019. 

Following her death, the members of Fleetwood Mac released a joint statement calling her “talented beyond measure” and “the best musician anyone could have in their band.” Nicks also released a statement on Instagram, calling McVie her “best friend in the whole world.”