Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac Co-Founder, Dead at 73
Peter Green, guitarist and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, has died. He was 73.
Green’s death was confirmed in the following statement to the press from the law firm Swan Turton: “It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. A further statement will be provided in the coming days.”
An exact cause of death was not disclosed at the time of publishing.
Before Fleetwood Mac, Green joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in 1966 replacing the band’s former guitarist Eric Clapton. During his tenure with the band, its lineup consisted of Mayall, Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.
In 1967, Green and Fleetwood would exit the Bluesbreakers to form Fleetwood Mac with guitarist Jeremy Spencer and bassist Bob Brunning. Brunning’s tenure with the band didn’t last long, and McVie would soon join Fleetwood Mac later in 1967.
Green appeared on Fleetwood Mac’s first four albums: 1968’s Fleetwood Mac and Mr. Wonderful and 1969’s Then Play On and the U.S. compilation album English Rose.
Green’s last performance with Fleetwood Mac was in May 1970, and he would release his first solo album, The End of the Game, in December 1970. He officially left Fleetwood Mac in 1971. Green struggled with drug use and mental illness and would be diagnosed with schizophrenia in the mid-’70s.
Following his break from music due to his various health issues, Green would release his second solo album, In the Skies, in May 1979. He would release five more studio albums: 1980’s Little Dreamer, 1981’s Whatcha Gonna Do?, 1982’s White Sky, 1983’s Kolors and 1984’s A Case for the Blues with the band Katmandu.
Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac in 1998.
