Peter Green, the iconic guitarist and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, died on July 25th in Essex, England at the age of 73, according to BBC. Green, who was born Peter Greenbaum, was considered one of the most brilliant and original blues guitarists of his time, with his hero, B.B. King, once uttering the defining quote about his prowess, “He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.” Peter Green formed Fleetwood Mac in 1967 after a notable stint replacing Eric Clapton in John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. Green is survived by his daughter Rosbud Greenbaum and a son, Liam Firlej.
Green's death marks the second loss from the band's original classic lineup, with guitarist Danny Kirwan passing back in 2018 at age 68 after years of homelessness and dereliction. Still surviving is the band's rhythm section and anchor, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie — and the band's last standing early guitarist Jeremy Spencer.
During his tenure in the Mac, Peter Green contributed such groundbreaking hits as “Albatross”, “Black Magic Woman” — soon after a hit for Santana, “Oh Well,” “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown),” “Rattlesnake Shake” and “Man Of The World.” Green's time in Fleetwood Mac was curtailed by a March 1970 LSD trip at a commune while the band was on tour in Munich. He left the band, and renounced his wealth, but briefly returned in 1971 to help the band out of a bind when Jeremy Spencer left the group to join the Children Of God sect.