There’s almost nothing to “Albatross” - some ethereal guitar, a few cymbal washes, zero vocals. When covering “the best blues band,” Santana knew better than to fix what isn’t broken. Aside from adding their trademark Latin tint, their version stayed true to Green’s original. “Woman” was the biggest hit of anything on Abraxas, peaking at No. His titular band covered “Black Magic Woman” on 1970’s Abraxas, tethered it to Gábor Szabó’s “ Gypsy Queen,” and sandwiched the resultant medley between percussionist Michael Carabello’s instrumental “ Singing Winds, Crying Beasts” and Tito Puente’s “ Oye Como Va.” “I used to go see the original Fleetwood Mac and they used to kill me, just knock me out,” Carlos Santana said in the 1983 book The Guitar Greats.
Instead of imitating the guitarist some called “God” - which almost any picker in his position would do - he forged an emotionally naked approach all his own. “The Supernatural” by John Mayall and the Bluebreakersĭuring the Summer of Love, Green found himself in the unenviable position of replacing Eric Clapton in the Bluesbreakers. For a crash-course on what made Green great, here are 10 of his essential tracks - with and without the Mac. He named the band, wrote classics like “ Black Magic Woman,” “ Albatross,” and “ Oh Well,” and sent them off to make million-sellers like 1977’s Rumours. He was 73.ĭespite being in Fleetwood Mac for only three years and three studio albums, Green’s impact on them is incalculable. Green died “peacefully in his sleep” on July 25 as announced by his legal team and reported by The New York Times.
Now, sadly, the guitarist who slipped out of the Mac 50 years ago has slipped away for good. Green eventually righted the ship, releasing solo records, playing in his Splinter Group, and living quietly out of the public eye.