Guitarist and singer Bob Welch, who helped Fleetwood Mac transition from pure blues musicians into more lightweight pop artists, died on June 7 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 66.
Welch, with his hazy pop-psychedelic style, was the first American member of the British group. Upon leaving in 1974, he was replaced by Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham who continued the direction Welch started and went on to record the band’s biggest albums, 1975’s Fleetwood Mac and Rumours in 1977.
Welch’s most notable songs for Fleetwood Mac were “Sentimental Lady” from 1972’s Bare Trees and “Emerald Eyes” from Mystery to Me, the following year. Welch’s debut solo album, 1977’s French Kiss, included the top-20 hit, “Ebony Eyes,” along with a re-recorded “Sentimental Lady.” He went on to record another five studio albums, but none matched the success of his solo debut.
This article appears in Jun 6-12, 2012.
