Bob Welch (musician)
The smooth-voiced guitarist who bridged Fleetwood Mac's blues era and its pop superstardom, then carved out his own hit-making path.
1945–2012 (age 67)·American musician·Birthday: August 31·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bob Welch wrote 'Sentimental Lady,' a top-ten soft-rock hit from his 1977 solo album 'French Kiss.' He joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971 when the British blues band was reeling from the departures of Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer. Welch, an American guitarist and singer, introduced a melodic, introspective sound on albums like 'Future Games' and 'Bare Trees.' These records bridged the band's blues roots and the polished pop of the Buckingham-Nicks era. After leaving Fleetwood Mac in 1974, he released several solo albums. Christine McVie produced his version of 'Sentimental Lady,' which he had first recorded with the band. The song became a staple of late-70s radio. Though Fleetwood Mac's later success overshadowed his contributions, Welch's songwriting and guitar work connected two distinct chapters of the group's evolution. He died in 2012.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bob was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2012Died at 67
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Was the lead guitarist and songwriter for Fleetwood Mac during a key transitional period from 1971 to 1974.
- Wrote and performed the original version of 'Sentimental Lady' with Fleetwood Mac, then scored a solo top-ten hit with his 1977 re-recording.
- His solo album 'French Kiss' went platinum, driven by the hits 'Sentimental Lady' and 'Ebony Eyes.'
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 as a member of Fleetwood Mac.
Did You Know?
He was married for a time to actress and model Nancy Kwan.
After his music career, he became a respected antique arms dealer in Nashville.
He was of partial Hawaiian descent and spent part of his youth in Honolulu.
He was not included in the classic 'Rumours'-era lineup's reunion tours, a point of some personal contention.
“I was the guy between Peter Green and Lindsey Buckingham, and that's a pretty good place to be.”
