A founding member of the band confirmed the news on Friday evening.
Danny Kirwan, one of the guitarist’s of the late ’60s, ’70s and ’80s supergroup Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 68.
According to Variety, no details surrounding his death are immediately available.
The band’s founding drummer, and bandmate of Kirwan, Mick Fleetwood acknowledged the guitarist’s passing in a statement for the group on his personal Facebook page on Friday evening.
“Danny was a huge force in our early years,” Fleetwood wrote.
“His love for the blues led him to being asked to join Fleetwood Mac in 1968, where he made his musical home for many years.
“Danny’s true legacy, in my mind, will forever live on in the music he wrote and played so beautifully as a part of the foundation of Fleetwood Mac…Thank you, Danny Kirwan. You will forever be missed!”
Kirwan was born in Brixton, South London, and his guitar skills started attracting attention at an early age. He was still only 17 when he came to the attention of established British blues band Fleetwood Mac, while he was playing in London with his first band Boilerhouse.
Kirwan was fired by Fleetwood, who became acting manager in the band, in 1972 due to continued confrontations regarding his alcoholism.
His continued success didn’t suffer, however, as he was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 for his work as part of Fleetwood Mac.
His most recent work involved three solo albums which were given a belated CD release in February 2006, but only in Japan. A limited edition of 2,500 copies of “Second Chapter” were also issued by Repertoire Records in early 2008.
He is survived by his only son.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
