'Talk to Me' About Stevie Nicks

 By Jami Morain

    In my last post, I talked about why October is dedicated to Stevie Nicks, but I hadn't talked about her impact.

    Nicks grew up with a passion to dance, wrote her first song at 16 after being gifted a guitar by her parents and being in a band called the Changing Times in high school. During this time she met Lindsey Buckingham at a Wednesday night church meeting. Eventually, they became Buckingham Nicks and in 1973 had their debut album released. It didn't do well, except for Mick Fleetwood hearing it, being impressed and asking Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac.

    Buckingham was hesitant, but Nicks insisted they could contribute to the band. However, Fleetwood was only looking for a guitarist, but Buckingham said he wouldn't join without Nicks, so Fleetwood agreed. Looking back now, he is probably happy he did.

    With Nicks (and Buckingham) now contributing to Fleetwood Mac, the band was reaching stardom. Rumours was the number one selling album of 1977. In my opinion, the best of Fleetwood Mac are Nicks' songs. "Landslide," "Rhiannon," and "Dreams" are still fan favorites today. Young women have seriously taken a liking to "Silver Springs" making it trend again. 

    In the 80s, Nicks started a solo career while also working with Fleetwood Mac. She did this until she couldn't keep up anymore and became dependable on drugs such as cocaine. She checked into rehab in 1886. She came back and continued to make music with both, then went back and forth between one and the other now she continues with her own music and her own projects.

    In 1998 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but in 2019 Stevie Nicks was inducted for her solo career- making her the only woman to be twice inducted. 

Me next to a photo of Nicks at the Rock Hall in Cleveland

    Harry Styles was honored to be the one to induct Nicks into the Hall of Fame. During the speech he talked about how "Dreams" was the first song he knew all of the words to, she makes fans feel like she's talking directly to them, her songs are stories and, finally, how she is "She is the magical gypsy godmother who occupies the in-between." He isn't the only one to be thankful of their friendship.

    After Sheryl Crow was inducted into the Hall, Nicks made a post congratulating her and welcoming her to the club, Crow responded saying "If it were not for you Stevie Nicks, there would be no me."

    Those aren't the only celebrities to surround her, Nicks had an "obsession" with Tom Petty and they finally met in 1978. She did everything she could to reach Petty and once she did Petty said she "came into my life like a rocket, just refusing to go away." Once Nicks, befriended his wife, Petty accepted her and decided she was genuine. He even gave her "Stop Dragging My Heart Around." 

    It's not just her friends that adore her, she has some loyal and adoring fans. 

    Nicks is known for having some witchy qualities and lyrics that fans embrace, so much so they have named October as Stevie Nicks Month. 

    On top of all of this, Mattel just announced the Stevie Nicks Barbie, The doll is based off the Rumours period and already sold out. 

    Stevie Nicks is the only woman to be twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has an entire month dedicated to her by fans, a "gypsy godmother," the White Witch and now a Barbie.