Fleetwood Mac is known for the magical flair of their enchanting lead vocalist Stevie Nicks. Her deep, rich vocals, profound lyricism, and commanding stage presence have become synonymous with the band. Before the tumultuous drama between Buckingham Nicks and the McVies, however, the band had a rocky road with their original lead singer.

Peter Green, the original lead vocalist of Fleetwood Mac, fronted the band from 1967 to 1970. The band originally had a solid blues foundation. His mastery of the blues on guitar and harmonica coupled with his smooth vocals propelled the band to stardom in the UK. Peter Green not only skipped out on the band, but he disappeared from the public eye entirely.

Green had a well-established and impressive career in the British Blues scene in the '60s that ended abruptly when he seemingly went off the grid. Green's personal circumstances that led to the end of his music career are devastating. Green's departure from the band is not only a tragic stain on the band's history, but also a huge loss in music history.

Peter Green Was Fleetwood Mac's First Genius Singer

From "Black Magic Woman" to "Albatross," Green knew his way around the Blues

Peter Green had a long road to his Fleetwood Mac front-man gig. He rose to popularity by stepping in as the lead guitar player for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in the place of the veritable rock 'n' roll icon Eric Clapton. He not only filled the gap left behind by the legend, but exceeded expectations. He won fans over with his soulful musical sense.

Mick Fleetwood was a good friend of Green's, and the two came together to form their own group. Although Green was a founding member and arguably the heart and soul of the group's early years, he didn't want the group to be named after him. He named it Fleetwood Mac to honor his friends John McVie and Mick Fleetwood and to feel as though he was a part of a band and not the leader of one.

Despite deliberately naming the band, Sparta Music, the band's label, published their debut album under the name Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. He vehemently opposed this, and the album was re-released simply as Fleetwood Mac. It wouldn't be out of line to name the group for the guitarist, as the band's early success can be attributed to his incredible songwriting talent.

His song "Albatross" earned the band a number one hit. He wrote so many of the band's biggest hits at the time: "Oh Well," "Stop Messin' Around," and "Man of the World." His song "Black Magic Woman" became a bigger hit through Santana's popular cover.

Peter Green Left Fleetwood Mac After Taking "Bad Acid" In

Those close to Green say that he was never quite the same

Peter Green became wrapped up in an interesting movement of the time. He was rejecting material goods and wealth. After an experience with LSD, he began a spiritual journey that caused him to reject accepting money for his art. He gave away his earnings as he continued to dive deeper into his newfound way of life. As he continued to experiment with hallucinogenic substances, he began changing his appearance. Audiences started to see this warlock of a man fronting the band with a long untamable beard and a white cloak.

Green couldn't go on in the band after his mind had been seemingly permanently altered.

When the band went through on tour in 1969, Peter Green had a horrible stroke of bad luck. He was invited to a house party after a show that would change his life forever. At the party, he was given acid that caused a reaction in him unlike anything he had endured. Clifford Davis, the band's manager, said that Green returned from the party "seriously mentally ill." Green couldn't go on in the band after his mind had been seemingly permanently altered.

Peter Green wasn't the only member of Fleetwood Mac to fall away over the years. Danny Kirwan on vocals and guitar suffered the same fate as Green at the same party. Jeremy Spencer left the band shortly after in 1971 and was replaced by Bob Welch, who also later left the group.

How Fleetwood Mac Replaced Peter Green

The rising young Buckingham Nicks caught Mick Fleetwood's eye

The loss of Peter Green in the band's line-up was devastating to the personally, but also could have been a death sentence. The loss of his soulful singing and immaculate guitar playing left a massive void in the band. Many fell away at the same time, leaving Mick Fleetwood on the hunt.

While Fleetwood Mac was suffering this massive loss, a young band was working hard to make a name for themselves. Lindsey Buckinghman and Stevie Nicks had put out an album with Polydor that hadn't made the impact they had hoped for. One day in the studio, Buckingham heard one of the duo's songs playing loudly in another room. This is when he met Mick Fleetwood, listening to his soon-to-be bandmates for the very first time. Fleetwood originally only asked Buckingham to the line-up, but he advocated for his partner Stevie Nicks and insisted they were a package deal.

The new line-up proved to be just what the band needed for their mid-70s comeback. Their 1975 self-titled album was an unexpected hit. Fleetwood Mac's years of success as a fixture of the blues scene were over as their career in the mainstream rock charts began.