Bob Welch has died

[Gypsy]

I just found out. Listening to "Sentimental Lady" and crying.

R.I.P., Bob. Thank you for your music, and God Bless you. I hope you found peace.

[SummerlongBoots]

Bob Welch, Ex-Fleetwood Mac Member, Found Dead
by The Associated Press

text size AAA
June 7, 2012
Bob Welch, a former member of Fleetwood Mac who also had a solo career, died Thursday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. He was 65.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said Welch's wife found him with a chest wound at their south Nashville home around 12:15 p.m. local time.

Welch was a guitarist and vocalist for Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974. He formed the British rock group Paris in 1976, and had hits including "Sentimental Lady" in 1977 and "Ebony Eyes" in 1978. Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham did backing vocals on "Sentimental Lady."

Aaron said Welch apparently had had health issues recently. He said a suicide note was left.

Fleetwood Mac's career took off in the mid-1970s after Welch left the band. "Dreams" was a No. 1 hit in 1977 and "Don't Stop" the same year. It later became the anthem for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign. "Hold Me" was a hit in 1982 and "Little Lies" in 1987.

Welch, a native of Los Angeles, scored his biggest hit with "Sentimental Lady," which reached No. 8 on the Billboard chart. His other singles included "Precious Love" in 1979 and "Hot Love, Cold World" in 1978.

When Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, Welch was not included in the group.

"It basically comes down to the fact that they don't like me anymore," he told The Plain Dealer of Cleveland at the time. "I guess they can do what they want. I could understand it if I had been a sideman for a year. But I was an integral part of that band ... I put more of myself into that band than anything else I've ever done."

Longtime Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks told The Associated Press that Welch's death hit her hard.

"The death of Bob Welch is devastating ... I had many great times with him after Lindsey and I joined Fleetwood Mac," she said. "He was an amazing guitar player he was funny, sweet and he was smart. I am so very sorry for his family and for the family of Fleetwood Mac so, so sad ..."

Founding member Mick Fleetwood did not immediately respond to e-mails for comment Thursday.

As a songwriter, Welch had his songs recorded by Kenny Rogers, Sammy Hagar, the Pointer Sisters and others.

In 1999 he released a CD, "Bob Welch Looks at Bop," a salute to bebop music in the 1940s.

In an interview with The Tennessean in 2003, Welch said he never dreamed he'd be remembered for much.

"I just wanted to play guitar in a good band," he said. "I wanted to make the music I love. I wanted to travel the world and have adventures."

Welch also said "music is disposable now. It doesn't have the emotional impact anymore. That's sad."

He had lived in Nashville since the 1990s.




http://www.npr.org/2012/06/07/154540...ber-found-dead

[SteveMacD]

I'm just sick over this. Just sick.

[WildHearted]

What horrible, horrible news. I'm seriously in shock. So sorry for his family and all who knew him... his music was a blessing.

Rest in peace, Bob.

[sushud82]

Terrible news. RIP Bob. I can only imagine the pain he must've been going through. So sad.

Susan

[Eponymous]

From News Report:
Longtime Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks told The Associated Press that Welch's death hit her hard.

"The death of Bob Welch is devastating ... I had many great times with him after Lindsey and I joined Fleetwood Mac. He was an amazing guitar player — he was funny, sweet — and he was smart. I am so very sorry for his family and for the family of Fleetwood Mac — so, so sad ..."

Founding member Mick Fleetwood did not immediately respond to e-mails for comment Thursday.

[BLY]

All I can say is R.I.P

[GypsySorcerer]

This is just terribly sad. He always seemed so kind and was a damn fine musician. My condolences to his family and friends.

[StandbackStevie]

I am very shocked about Bob Welch like everyone else may he rest in peace and God is with him my deepest sympathy to his family and close friends a legendary songwriter and guitarist musician.Very sad a great loss to our Fleetwood Mac family and to the musical world another talent we have lost.

[gypsy4life]

This is horribly sad news...always enjoyed his music so much....what a devestating thing to happen....RIP Bob..

[holidayroad]

I just saw the news on MSN. I am floored.......

[aleuzzi]

This is one of the strangest and most disturbing pieces of news I have heard in a while. That his death is being ruled as suicide leaves me chilled to the bone. I had no idea--and I'm sure no one here did either--that he was depressed or felt such dark urges. I knew he was capable of anger (Mick called him "high strung" in his memoir) and I'm sure he must have been unhappy with some aspects of his career, but suicide speaks of something else--some things that must have run deeper than anything related to Fleetwood Mac.

All I can say is this: I am indebted to him for providing some very distinctive music. There's nothing like "Hypnotized" or the live versions of "Bermuda Triangle" anywhere else in rock. He was extremely creative. I hope his soul is at peace.

[Ghost_Tracker]

Just found out. Totally blown away and pretty sad.
I guess he's the first from the "inner circle" to go.
r.i.p.

[sleepless child]

Unbelieveble. I can't imagine him being gone. Loved his music. So sad to hear he was in so much pain he took his life. My heart goes out to his family. Stevie's words were very comforting.

[desertangel]

My deepest sympathy to Bob's family and those who loved him. So sorry he had to go out this way, what a tragedy. I'm choked up and close to tears, haven't felt well today and feel even worse now.