McVie's estate sold singer's stake in Fleetwood Mac hits — including "Songbird," "The Chain" and "Say You Love Me" — to Harbourview, nearly a year after her death
Probate documents have now revealed the extent of her estate. McVie left the majority of her inheritance to her brother John Perfect and his children, along with a string of charities that also benefited from her will.
McVie left a £70m estate with a net value of £57m, according to reports. She had inked a massive deal a year before her death, selling the rights to her entire back catalogue of 115 songs.
Christine not only left funds to her family, but the singer also left money to various charities in her will to benefit.
Along with other band staples “Go Your Own Way,” “The Chain” and “Dreams.” Benatar — as well as her longtime musical partner and husband Neil Giraldo — sold an unspecified stake in both their recorded music and publishing rights. (In an interview, Harbourview CEO Sherrese Clarke Soares declined to give financial details on both purchases.)
The McVie estate deal marks yet another member of Fleetwood Mac to sell their rights since the acquisition boom began in the late 2010s. As Rolling Stone previously reported, Mick Fleetwood similarly sold his stake in the band’s recordings to BMG in 2021, while Lindsey Buckingham sold his publishing catalog to Hipgnosis the same year. Stevie Nicks sold a majority stake in her publishing catalog to Primary Wave in 2020. The McVie deal comes nearly a year after the singer died in November 2022 at 79.
McVie died on 30 November 2022. The news was revealed by her family in a statement, saying the 79-year-old died “passed away peacefully at hospital following a short illness”.
The singer-songwriter’s death certificate has now revealed that she died of a ischaemic stroke.
This occurs when the brain’s blood supply is either interrupted or reduced.
The document says that McVie had previously been diagnosed with “metastatic malignancy of unknown primary origin”. This means that cancer had spread in her body, but the tumour had been undetected. Cancer is listed as a secondary cause of death on the certificate.
The family’s statement said McVie died peacefully in hospital, adding: “We would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally”.(Independent)
McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970 after marrying bassist John McVie and left after 28 years in 1998 before returning in 2014.
Nicks posted a handwritten note on Instagram to pay tribute. “A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975 had passed away,” she wrote. “I didn’t even know she was ill … until late Saturday night. I wanted to be in London; I wanted to get to London — but we were told to wait.”
Christine McVie on her album, Songbird: “This may be my swansong” (VMZ)
As she releases a new solo collection, the Fleetwood Mac singer and songwriter recounts her journey from the Birmingham blues scene to the world's arenas. Christine McVie has released a new 'Songbird Album' -Listen - SONGBIRD (A SOLO COLLECTION) on June 24 on 180-gram black vinyl ($21.98), CD ($14.98), and digitally. In addition, a limited-edition sea-foam green vinyl version will also be available from Rhino.com,
In a statement, the band wrote: “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life.
“We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed.”
McVie was born Christine Perfect in the Lancashire village of Bouth on 12 July 1943.
Music was a part of her life from a young age, and an integral part of her family dynamic. Her father, Cyril Percy Absell Perfect, was a concert violinist and music lecturer, while her grandfather was an organist at Westminster Abbey.
McVie was one of eight members of the band inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
In the same year after the success of their live album The Dance, she retired to Kent, saying a fear of flying meant she was leaving the band.
But she rediscovered her love of performing at a one-off appearance with the band at London's O2 in 2013 and returned to them a year later.
"It was amazing, like I'd never left. I climbed back on there again and there they were, the same old faces on stage," she told the Guardian newspaper at the time.
In 2017 she told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs programme that she had developed agoraphobia after leaving the band.
