Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green dies at 73
source: Rock & Rock Hall of Fame. Peter Green (right) with Stevie Nicks at 1998 induction ceremony
Peter Green, a co-founder of the legendary rock band, Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 73.
The UK law firm, Swan Turton, representing Green's family, announced the death on Saturday.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep...A further statement will be provided in the coming days."
Green was a guitarist, who grew up in East London.
British musician Peter Green, guitarist and co-founder of rock band Fleetwood Mac, circa 1968. (Getty)
He formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood in 1967.
Green dealt with mental health issues and left the band in 1970, before it became one of the biggest-selling acts in music history.
Green was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent time in hospitals undergoing electro-convulsive therapy during the mid-70s.
The entire Fleetwood Mac band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Green was joined by Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, Christine McVie, Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer.
Green, to some listeners, was the best of the British blues guitarists of the 1960s. B.B. King once said Green "has the sweetest tone I ever heard. He was the only one who gave me the cold sweats."
Green also made a mark as a composer, with "Albatross," and as a songwriter, with "Oh Well" and "Black Magic Woman."
Mick Fleetwood said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2017, that Green deserves the lion's share of the credit for the band's success.
"Peter was asked why did he call the band Fleetwood Mac. He said, `Well, you know I thought maybe I'd move on at some point and I wanted Mick and John (McVie) to have a band.' End of story, explaining how generous he was," said Fleetwood, who described Green as a standout in an era of great guitar work.
Indeed, Green was so fundamental to the band that in its early days it was called Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.
The Associated Press contribued to this KTVU Report.