Bob Welch, formerly Fleetwood Mac’s guitarist and succesful soft-rock soloist of the 70’s, was found in his Nashville home yesterday, dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 65. Police reports say that Welch’s body was found by his wife in the mid-afternoon, along with a suicide note.

Welch wasn’t there for Fleetwood Mac’s major succeses in 1975 and 1977 with Fleetwood Mac and Rumours, respectively, having left the band in 1974 to be replaced by Lindsey Buckingham, relegating him to the back pages of the band’s history. When Fleetwood Mac was inducted to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, he wasn’t invited to attend the ceremony.

Following his departure from the band, Welch scored hits with “Sentimental Lady,” “Ebony Eyes” and “Hot Love, Cold World,” all from his 1978 solo debut, French Kiss – but his battle with heroin addiction over the course of the 80’s effectively put a halt to his career. He managed to clean up towards the 90’s, writing songs for himself for other artists and being known as that guy who was a member of a wildly popular band before they got big.

No cause for his suicide is as yet forthcoming.

[Source: AVC]