Remember Bob Welch…?

Today would have been the 68th birthday for Bob Welch, if he were still here.  Sadly, and I mean that, he killed himself 2 years ago so his wife would not ever have to care for an invalid.  He was diagnosed with a spinal condition that a surgery could not ultimately fix, and after watching his father become an invalid he said he could not bear the thought of what that would be like for his wife and family.  His father, incidentally, was a Hollywood producer and worked with the likes of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.  Bob Welch joined Fleetwood Mac when they were struggling and helped them to modest success in the early 70's.  The albums "Bare Trees" and "Mystery to Me" (which can't be found on the internet, damnit!) featured him.  He left the band on his own, sued them later for royalty payments, and thus got eliminated from the Hall of Fame induction.  A tough break for a guy who really did help them make some great music and absolutely belongs on their band list.  After that, his solo material was great, but that time period was short, and he later became pretty much a writer for other musicians.  Some of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs came from Bob Welch, and erasing his history may be about the only issue I have with them... but it's a big enough issue.  I admit I lost some respect for the band after that, and I lost some enthusiasm for enjoying their music.  So today on his birthday,  Bob Welch fans I salute you!  Sorry he's not in the picture, but isn't that fitting....?