John McVie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John McVie
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McVie in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Graham McVie |
| Born | 26 November 1945 Ealing, Middlesex, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass guitar |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Labels | Reprise, Blue Horizon |
John Graham McVie (born 26 November 1945) is a British bass guitarist. He is famous for being a member of two rock bands. These are John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (from 1964 to 1967) and Fleetwood Mac (since 1967).
His last name, McVie, was combined with drummer Mick Fleetwood's name to create the band's name, Fleetwood Mac. John joined Fleetwood Mac in 1967. He was one of the first members, along with guitarist Peter Green.
John McVie and Mick Fleetwood are the only two members who have been on every Fleetwood Mac album. They have been with the group for over fifty years. In 1968, John married blues singer and pianist Christine Perfect. She later joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970. John and Christine McVie divorced in 1976. However, they continued to work together in the band. During this time, the band made the very successful album Rumours.
In 1998, John McVie was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was for his work with Fleetwood Mac.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
John Graham McVie was born in Ealing, England, on November 26, 1945. His parents were Reg and Dorothy McVie. He went to Walpole Grammar School.
When he was young, John started playing the trumpet. At age 14, he began playing guitar in local bands. He liked to play songs by The Shadows. John soon realized that his friends were learning lead guitar. So, he decided to play the bass guitar instead.
At first, he just took off the top two strings from his guitar to play bass parts. Later, his father bought him a pink Fender bass guitar. This was the same kind used by Jet Harris, The Shadows' bass player. Jet Harris was a big influence on John.
After leaving school at 17, John trained to be a tax inspector. He did this for nine months. This was also when his music career began.
Music Career Highlights
John McVie's first band was called the Krewsaders. They played at weddings and parties in Ealing, West London. They mostly covered songs by the Shadows.
Rolling Stone magazine listed John McVie as number 37 on their list of the fifty greatest bassists of all time.
Joining John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers
Around the time John was a tax inspector, John Mayall was forming a blues band. This band was called John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. John Mayall heard about McVie's talent. He asked McVie to try out for his band.
McVie got an offer to play bass in the Bluesbreakers. He accepted, but kept his tax inspector job for nine more months. Then, he became a full-time musician. John Mayall taught McVie a lot about playing the blues. McVie learned by listening to records by B.B. King and Willie Dixon. John McVie was the band's bassist for four and a half years.
Forming Fleetwood Mac
In 1966, Peter Green joined Mayall's Bluesbreakers as the new lead guitar player. Later, drummer Mick Fleetwood also joined. Green, McVie, and Fleetwood became good friends.
John Mayall gave Peter Green some free studio time. Green asked McVie and Fleetwood to record with him. They recorded three songs, including one called "Fleetwood Mac."
Later that year, Peter Green decided to start his own band. He named it "Fleetwood Mac" after his favorite rhythm section: Fleetwood and McVie. Mick Fleetwood joined right away. However, McVie was not sure at first. He liked the steady job with the Bluesbreakers. So, Green hired another bassist temporarily. A few weeks later, McVie changed his mind. He felt the Bluesbreakers were playing too much jazz. So, he joined Fleetwood Mac in September 1967.
Success with Fleetwood Mac
With McVie in Fleetwood Mac, the band recorded their first album. It was called Fleetwood Mac. The album came out in February 1968. It quickly became a hit in England. This made Fleetwood Mac a big part of the English Blues music scene.
The band started playing live shows in blues clubs and pubs. They became well-known in England. Over the next three years, they had many hit songs in the UK. They also became popular in Europe.
Christine Perfect Joins the Band
When Fleetwood Mac was on tour, they often played with another blues band called Chicken Shack. This is how John McVie met Christine Perfect. She was the lead singer and piano player for Chicken Shack.
After a short time, John and Christine got married. Peter Green was the best man. Christine quit Chicken Shack to spend more time with John. But because of constant touring, they were often apart. After Peter Green left Fleetwood Mac in 1970, John asked Christine to join the band. She agreed.
Worldwide Fame and Personal Life
After 1970, Fleetwood Mac had many different members. This sometimes caused problems within the band. In 1974, the McVies and other band members moved to Los Angeles.
In 1975, Fleetwood Mac became very famous around the world. This happened after Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the band. However, John and Christine McVie started having serious problems in their marriage. In 1976, while recording the album Rumours, they divorced. To help deal with the sadness, some of Christine's songs on the album were about John. One famous song was "Don't Stop".
In 1981, McVie went on tour again with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. This was a reunion tour with John Mayall, Mick Taylor, and Colin Allen. They toured America, Asia, and Australia in 1982.
In 1989, John McVie's wife, Julie Ann, gave birth to their daughter, Molly Elizabeth McVie. In his free time, John McVie enjoys sailing. He once almost got lost on a trip across the Pacific Ocean.
In October 2013, McVie was diagnosed with colon cancer. He started treatment for it. He continued to play with Fleetwood Mac during their 2014 On With the Show tour. This was after his condition improved. In 2017, it was reported that his colon cancer was completely gone.
Images for kids
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McVie with Fleetwood Mac, 18 March 1970
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McVie live with Fleetwood Mac on 3 March 2009 in St. Paul, Minnesota
See also
In Spanish: John McVie para niños
