Christine McVie, who died Wednesday at age 79, is being remembered as a pop singer and songwriter for Fleetwood Mac. Rightly so — several of the band’s best-known tunes were hers, including “Don’t Stop,” Bill Clinton’s campaign song.
But before she met and married John McVie and joined his band, she was Perfect — Christine Perfect, her real name — and she was well regarded as the soul singer and piano player for the blues band Chicken Shack, led by guitarist Stan Webb. “It’s Okay With Me Baby” was their first single, released in January 1968, as well as the first song she wrote for the band. Check out her keys on the fade-out.
Chicken Shack had a No. 14 hit in the UK in 1969 backing Perfect on their cover of “I’d Rather Go Blind,” but Perfect had married Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie and realized they’d never see each other touring with separate bands. She was Perfect no more.
