Bob Welch, a former member of Fleetwood Mac , who also experienced a solo career, died on Thursday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.
Welch, 65 was an early guitar player for Fleetwood Mac, and police spokseman Don Aaron stated that Welch’s wife found him with a gunshot wound to the chest at their home in Nashville around 12:15 p.m., according to The Huffington Post.
The late guitar played with the band from 1971 through 1974, and then formed Paris, a British rock group, in 1976, whose hits included “Sentimental Lady” and Ebony Eyes.”
USA Today reports that Welch played with the band on albums: Future Games , Bare Trees , Penguin, Mystery to Me and Heroes Are Hard to Find , the band’s first to crack the U.S. Top 40.
Bob Welch left the ban in 1974, and was replaced by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. With their help, the band was catapulted into stardom, and their hit “Don’t Stop” was even featured as the anthem for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign.
Welch was born into a family that was no stranger to the entertainment world. The Huffington Post reports that his father, Robert, produced several hit films for Paramount Pictures in the 1940s and 1950s. His mother, Templeton, sang and acted, working at places like Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater in Chicago.
The musician was born in Los Angeles, and police spokesman Don Aaron stated the musician had a history of health issues, but refused to go into detail. He also noted that Bob Welch did leave a suicide note.
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