LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bob Welch, an early member of rock band Fleetwood Mac who enjoyed a successful solo career with hits such as "Ebony Eyes," died on Thursday of an apparent suicide at home in Nashville, police said.
"Officers discovered Mr. Welch with a single gunshot wound to the chest," Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron told Reuters. "There was a suicide note found at the residence. Mr. Welch had health issues. The police are investigating it as a suicide, and there was no evidence of foul play."
Welch, 66, was found by his wife.
He played guitar and was a vocalist with Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974, before the band found its largest measure of fame on albums such as 1977's "Rumours" after Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group.
Welch worked on early Fleetwood Mac albums such as "Future Games" and "Bare Trees."
The singer and guitarist left Fleetwood Mac in 1974 and formed a hard rock group called Paris. Three years after that, he released his solo album, "French Kiss," which went platinum and produced the hits "Sentimental Lady" and "Ebony Eyes."
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy and Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Bernard Orr)