Former Fleetwood Mac member Brett Tuggle dies, age 70

Fleetwood Mac keyboardist and former member of the David Lee Roth band, Brett Tuggle sadly lost his battle with cancer on Sunday, June 19, passing away at age 70.

“He was loved by his family so much,” his son Matt told Rolling Stone magazine in a statement. “His family was with him throughout the entire time of his illness. He was a lovely father. He gave me music in my life.”

While the renowned musician was the founding member of the David Lee Roth band in the ’80s, Tuggle is best known as a member of 1992 Dreams hitmakers Fleetwood Mac where he toured with the music legends from 1997 to 2017 after Mick Fleetwood scouted him in 1992. Tuggle initially worked on Mick Fleetwood’s side project the Zoo.

Even after Fleetwood Mac’s falling out, Tuggle still remained close with the band’s core members, working alongside Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks as they ventured into their solo careers which eventually lead to scheduling conflicts.

Tuggle had once recalled: “I said, ‘You know, Stevie, I love playing with you. I support you. But Lindsey doesn’t have a band'”. She said, ‘I know he needs good people’. She seemed to be okay with it when I went off to do Lindsey’s thing. But think in the end, she looked at me a little as abandoning her and going over to Lindsey’s camp.”

Tuggle then went on to spend 15 years touring with Buckingham.

“This guy is just a master. He is a superb keyboardist, bassist, guitarist, singer,” Buckingham had said back in their September 2021 tour.

“And he also brings so much clarity and integrity. There’s no way in the world we could do this [show] without him. We’ve never been able to do it without him, nor could we in the future. We love him to death.”

RIP #BrettTuggle What a joy he was with #LindseyBuckingham back in Dec. He wasn’t at the Denver show and his presence was missed. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3beSy3gRUj

— Meredith (@TheMereDish) June 20, 2022

Concerns over Tuggle’s health were first flagged in April this year when he was noticeably missing on stage when Buckingham’s tour had resumed.

“I do want to mention the gentleman who is noticeably absent from the stage tonight,” Buckingham had told his audience in San Francisco.

“Mr Brett Tuggle is having a little bit of a health problem. Hopefully, he’ll be back for the next show, whatever it takes. We missed him tonight.”

The news of this death has prompted a flood of tributes, including one from fellow rock star Rick Springfield.

Our sweet Brett Tuggle made it home tonight. God bless his beautiful spirit. ❤️ @BrettTuggle1 pic.twitter.com/JHID345cO0

— Rick Springfield (@rickspringfield) June 20, 2022

Music has lost another great one.
Brett Tuggle of Fleetwood Mac & David Lee Roth.
Condolences to his family and friends. RIP. https://t.co/K5XtSEFXaz

— Brenda *Talon* Schilling (@BrendaSchilli12) June 20, 2022

Outside of Tuggle’s tenure with Fleetwood Mac, the keyboardist also played alongside Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, Tommy Shaw, and Mitch Ryde and the Detroit Wheels.

Tuggle is survived by his son Matt and daughter Michelle.