When counting legends that have impacted the music industry, one is sure to place Stevie Nicks in the list. The singer, who started her music career just after the mid-nineties, partnered with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham after leaving his band, Fritz.
Subsequently, she moved on to Fleetwood Mac, helping them garner fame as one of the best-selling music acts of all time selling over 120 million records worldwide. However, the road to success had more than a few road bumps.
While singing with Fritz, Nicks received negative attention far more than she could have wanted at the start of her career.
Find out more below.
Buckingham’s Band Members Hated The Attention Nicks’ Received In The Group
Most music lovers will recognize Nicks for her distinctive voice, mystical stage persona, and poetic lyrics. She brought this package to Fritz, which quickly made her one of the most popular members.
During their shows, audiences often requested Nicks’ songs more than once, and they showered her with praises on every occasion. She was the center of attention, and it caught the attention of her bandmates negatively.
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“Nobody in that band wanted me as their girlfriend because I was too ambitious for them,” she explained in the book Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks by Stephen Davis.
“They all thought I was in it for the attention and didn’t take me seriously at all. I was just a girl singer, and they hated the fact that I got a lot of the credit.”
Why Nicks’ Joined Fritz
The band first consisted of Buckingham, his two high school friends, Bob Aguirre and Javier Pacheco, and a lead female vocalist, Jody Moreing. When Moreing got snapped up by another band, Buckingham hurriedly needed a replacement.
Ultimately, he asked Nicks if she wanted to be a part of Fritz. Nicks did not hesitate in her decision to join the band. At that time, she was an aspiring singer, and joining the crew would have had immense benefits on her career.
Although Nicks often came late for their shows, the band still got many bookings for different spots in town. Everyone wanted a piece of the blond brown-hair singer, the only girl on the team.
Stevie Nicks Met Lindsey Buckingham At A Church Event
Nicks joining the Fritz would not have occurred if she did not have a chance encounter with Buckingham at a church event. At that moment, he was singing “California Dreamin” by The Mamas & the Papas, and Nicks heard him and came over to sing along.
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“Well, I just happened to know every word and could sing the harmony, and I thought he was absolutely stunning,” she referenced the encounter in the book. “So I kind of casually maneuvered my way over to the piano.”
Although the entire moment did not last more than a few minutes, Nicks felt she had impressed Buckingham. However, she didn’t think much of the moment not until Buckingham reached out to her to join his band.
Stevie Nicks And Lindsey Buckingham Left Fritz To Become A Duo
Fritz’s growing success was not enough to keep Nicks and Buckingham in the band. On the advice of a record producer, the pair left the group to form their own act as a duo.
They subsequently moved to Los Angeles together and started their career afresh. Within that period, they began a romantic relationship spurred by the numerous hours they spent together,
“It was like, ‘Well, we’ve done it now,'” she explained. “‘We have completely screwed up their lives forever now. So why not?’ So we became a couple.” Their first album titled “Buckingham Nicks” failed to impress after its release. Fortunately, the duo found success after joining the Fleetwood Mac band.
