In a moving Instagram post on Thursday, the legendary guitarist paid tribute to McVie, who died Wednesday at age 79.
“Christine McVie’s sudden passing is profoundly heartbreaking,” Buckingham, 73, wrote. “Not only were she and I part of the magical family of Fleetwood Mac, to me Christine was a musical comrade, a friend, a soul mate, a sister.”
Buckingham continued: “For over four decades, we helped each other create a beautiful body of work and a lasting legacy that continues to resonate today. I feel very lucky to have known her.
“Though she will be deeply missed, her spirit will live on through that body of work and that legacy,” Buckingham concluded. His message was handwritten in the image posted alongside the caption.
McVie, whose bluesy vocals and keyboards helped provide the signature sound of Fleetwood Mac, died Wednesday after a brief illness.
Fleetwood Mac, with whom McVie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, also paid tribute to the star, writing there were “no words to describe our sadness” following her death.
Following the announcement, fellow entertainers — including Sheryl Crow, Bette Midler, Diane Warren and more — paid their respects to the iconic musician on social media.
