Profile of Stevie Nicks on Famous Like Me

Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks (born May 26, 1948 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American singer and songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac.

Biography

Nicks met her future partner Lindsey Buckingham while in high school and along with two others formed a band called Fritz which became popular as a live act from 1968 until 1972. They were the opening act for, among others, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. After the band parted, Nicks and Buckingham remained as a duo releasing the album Buckingham Nicks in 1973. While not a commercial success it caught the attention of drummer Mick Fleetwood who was looking for a new guitarist for his band Fleetwood Mac. Stevie was reduced to cleaning houses at the time that Fleetwood Mac stumbled onto the duo. They invited the duo to join them, and the new ensemble released the album Fleetwood Mac in 1975. Nicks contributed songs such as "Rhiannon" and "Landslide", originally written for the second Buckingham Nicks album. The team-up proved to be no fluke, as the Mac enjoyed its first #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than five million copies. In the book Fleetwood by drummer Mick Fleetwood, he states that a billboard advertisement for Fleetwood Mac featured the band with Lindsey labeled as Stevie and vice versa.

The album was a considerable success, and its follow-up Rumours released in 1977 became one of the all-time best-selling albums, selling more than 19 million copies. With several Nicks songs such as "Gold Dust Woman" it also contained Fleetwood Mac's only Billboard Hot 100 number one single, "Dreams" which was written by Nicks and featured her on lead vocals. The band's next album Tusk was more experimental in sound, and while successful, alienated some of its fans. Though the album sold four million copies, it was considered a failure. One urban legend states that Nicks' single from the album, "Sara," was written about a terminated pregnancy Nicks had with Don Henley, a member of The Eagles; however, no evidence for the truth of this rumor has been found. Nicks has consistently stated the song is about band member Mick Fleetwood's girlfriend at the time. Around this time Nicks had another hit with Kenny Loggins on "Whenever I Call You Friend".

Nicks recorded her first solo album Bella Donna in 1981. Its lead single "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" was a collaboration with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and it reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Other singles included "Leather and Lace" with Don Henley and "Edge of Seventeen". Bella Donna reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and as of 1990 is certified quadruple (4x) platinum. Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac for their 1982 album Mirage and contributed the hit "Gypsy". The set quickly went double platinum. Nicks released a second solo album titled The Wild Heart in 1983, which featured the Prince inspired track "Stand Back", and "If Anyone Falls". That set also went double platinum and featured three hit singles. In 1985 she released the platinum Rock A Little, scoring more hit singles with "Talk To Me" and "I Can't Wait". The "Rock A Little" Tour following the release of the album was widely successful, resulting in a filmed concert at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, and a solo outing with Tom Petty and Bob Dylan in Australia. Though Nicks was at the top of her game, a devastating drug addiction was taking a toll on her voice, career, and personal life.

In 1986, Nicks was treated for cocaine addiction at the Betty Ford Center. Later, Nicks was advised to take Klonopin, a sedative, to counteract her anxiety after ceasing her use of cocaine. This lead to another addiction battle which she would not overcome until 1994. Her next album with Fleetwood Mac, titled Tango in the Night, included Nicks' song "Seven Wonders," which reached #19 on the Billboard charts. Sandy Stewart wrote the song "Seven Wonders," and because Nicks had only listened to the song a few times before recording it, the lines "all the way down you held the line" was misheard by Nicks as "all the way down to Emmeline". Fleetwood Mac had always had high personality conflicts, but the tension between Buckingham and Nicks had grown unbearable; Buckingham quit the group right before their Tango in the Night world tour.

In 1989, Nicks released her solo album, The Other Side Of the Mirror. It spawned a major hit with the single "Rooms On Fire", and although sales were not as solid as previous releases, the album nevertheless went platinum. Nicks returned to Fleetwood Mac in 1990, when they recorded Behind the Mask. By this time, band member Lindsey Buckingham had been replaced by Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. The album went gold and still hit the Top 20, but was nowhere near the level of success of previous Mac albums. After the "Behind the Mask" tour, Nicks left the group. Nicks was quoted as saying in reference to her departure: "My role in that paticular Shakespearean drama is over."

In 1991, Nicks released Timespace, a "best of" album which included contributions from Jon Bon Jovi and Bret Michaels of Poison. During the 1992 presidential campaign Bill Clinton used the Fleetwood Mac hit "Don't Stop" as his campaign theme song. Fleetwood Mac reunited to perform the song at his 1993 Inaugural Gala, where Nicks' weight gain was visible for the whole world to see.

In 1994, Nicks released the most poorly received album of her career, Street Angel. Stevie was crushed by the weak numbers and by the vicious attacks from critics regarding the weight she had gained while on the sedative Klonopin. Nicks then entered seclusion for a number of years following the Street Angel tour, beat her sedative addiction, and lost weight. She returned to the spotlight in 1997 when plans to help Lindsey Buckingham with a solo album turned into one final album with the Rumours-era group. This album, The Dance, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Stevie's single "Silver Springs" (which had been originally planned for Rumours but shelved, much to Stevie's regret) also did well, as did the concert tour. In 1998 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed together a final time. She released a gold boxed set, Enchanted, in 1998 and supported it with a US tour. The tour sold out and Nicks was back on top.

In 2001, Nicks reclaimed much commercial and critical success with her solo album Trouble in Shangri-La, which hit #5 on the Billboard 200, and was her highest charting album since 1983's The Wild Heart. The album went gold and has sold upwards of 650,000 copies, and a dance remix of one of its two lead singles, "Planets of the Universe," achieved #1 on the Billboard Club Play chart. A second greatest hits album from Fleetwood Mac was released in 2002 and quickly hit the Top 20 and became yet another platinum smash. Ultimately, this was followed by a studio album with John McVie, Buckingham, and Fleetwood (Christine McVie had retired from the road and the group), their first original album in 16 years (The Dance had been a greatest hits package with a few new songs sprinkled in for flavor). Say You Will was released in 2003, to platinum sales and positive reviews. Their tour of America, Europe and Australia ended in September 2004.

After a few months' respite from the Mac's tour, Nicks did a four-night stint in May 2005 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and then did a 10-show tour with Don Henley. Nicks continued the tour solo, and she ended it where it began, at Caesars Palace. There her set included the rarely-performed-live "If Anyone Falls," the moving "How Still My Love" from "Bella Donna," and an impressive, high-energy rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll."

On August 10th, 2005 her father, Jess Nicks, passed away.

One of the reasons for Nicks' continued career is the devotion she inspires in her fans. Such notables as Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Michelle Branch, and Courtney Love have praised her work, and vice versa. She has done duets or guest vocals for several of their albums and they've returned the favor. The Dixie Chicks covered her 1975 classic "Landslide," which became a smash and hit the Top 10. Smashing Pumpkins also had a significant hit with the song on modern rock radio. She recorded a duet with Chris Isaak on his 2004 Christmas album. She has also made appearances on a number of soundtracks, ranging from 1980 (the cult cartoon Heavy Metal) to 2003 (the hit Jack Black comedy School of Rock).

Stevie is considered to have been one of the most beautiful women in the music industry. While she has had well-publicized affairs with men ranging from Buckingham to Mick Fleetwood to the late Warren Zevon to The Eagles member Don Henley, Nicks has only married once, to Kim Anderson. Her best friend (his wife) had recently died of cancer, leaving behind a husband and young child, and Nicks felt it was her calling to marry Anderson and raise the child. They married in 1983, but the arrangement quickly fell apart and they split a year later.

One of the more persistent rumors which has trailed Nicks through the years is that she is a witch and is heavily involved in Wicca. While she has a love for the mythic (Rhiannon) and gothic and has no problem with any of these beliefs, she has never been associated with Wicca nor has she ever called herself a witch, although her work is copyrighted under the name Welsh Witch Music and themes of witchcraft recur throughout her lyrics.

Stevie currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix.

Media appearances

In 1998, Lucy Lawless parodied Nicks on Saturday Night Live, in a skit called "Stevie Nicks' Fajita Round-Up." In the skit, Nicks ran a Tex-Mex cantina in Arizona, where all of her signature dishes were take-offs on her song titles. Also, in the skit, she ties in her food choices to her drug addictions. Nicks herself had appeared as a musical guest in 1983.

In one episode of South Park a goat is mistaken for her when she and Fleetwood Mac are scheduled to perform in Afghanistan for US soldiers.

In 2002 she sang a spirited version of Elvis Presley's classic song "Won't You Wear My Ring Around Your Neck?" on VH1's Diva's Live tribute to Presley. In 2004 she sang with Chris Isaak in his PBS Christmas special.

Stevie Nicks was ranked # 14 on VH1's list of most influential female artists in music history.

A New York City camp tribute/concert/festival in honor of Nicks, called Night of 1,000 Stevies, began in 1991 and has grown larger each year. The extravaganza even inspired a 2004 film, Gypsy 83, about two fans who drive all the way from Ohio to perform in the show.

Barbara McLuin in KY runs a Stevie style online clothing store, The Enchanted Mirror, and also performs Tribute Stevie Nicks Illusions shows to Stevie, worldwide. There are many fine tribute bands for Miss Nicks, all over the World.

Nicks' solo track "Edge of Seventeen" contributed the guitar part for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious" and she appeared in the video as well. An interview about her role in the song and video is featured in the corresponding Making the Video documentary.

In 2005, Nicks contributed new vocals to a remake of the Fleetwood Mac song "Dreams" by DJ and house music duo Deep Dish. The song appears on their album George Is On.

Discography

Solo

• Bella Donna (1981)
• The Wild Heart (1983)
• Rock a Little (1985)
• The Other Side of the Mirror (1989)
• Timespace - The Best of Stevie Nicks (1991)
• Street Angel (1994)
• The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks (1998)
• Trouble in Shangri-La (2001)

With Fleetwood Mac

• Fleetwood Mac (1975)
• Rumours (1977)
• Tusk (1979)
• Fleetwood Mac Live (1980)
• Mirage (1982)
• Tango in the Night (1987)
• Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits (1988)
• Behind the Mask (1990)
• The Chain (1992)
• The Dance (1997)
• The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac (2002)
• Say You Will (2003)

Solo Singles

• "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (w/ Tom Petty) (1981) #3 US
• "Leather And Lace" (w/ Don Henley) (1981) #6 US
• "Edge Of Seventeen" (1982) #11 US
• "After The Glitter Fades" (1982) #32 US
• "Stand Back" (1983) #5 US
• "If Anyone Falls" (1983) #14 US
• "Nightbird" (1983) #33 US
• "Talk To Me" (1985) #4 US
• "I Can't Wait" (1986) #16 US
• "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" (1986) #60 US
• "Rooms On Fire" (1989) #16 US
• "Sometimes It's A Bitch" (1991) #56 US
• "Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind" (1994) #57 US

Singles With Fleetwood Mac

• "Rhiannon" (1976) #11 US
• "Dreams" (1977) #1 US - 1 week
• "Sara" (1979) #7 US
• "Sisters Of The Moon" (1980) #86 US
• "Fireflies" (1981) #60 US
• "Gypsy" (1982) #12 US
• "Seven Wonders" (1987) #19 US
• "Silver Springs" (1997) #41 US
• "Landslide" (1998) #51 US

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