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 Fleetwood Mac band members who were attempting to broaden their appeal. 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 album was a considerable success, and its follow-up Rumours released in 1977 became one of the all time best selling albums. With several Nicks songs such as "Gold Dust Woman" it also contained Fleetwood Mac's only United States 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. Nicks' song "Sara" written for the girlfriend of band member Mick Fleetwood was a hit single. Around this time Stevie also had a hit single 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 US charts. Other singles included "Leather and Lace" with Don Henley and "Edge of Seventeen". Bella Donna reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Album charts and as of 1990 is certified quadruple (4x) platinum. Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac for their 1982 album Mirage and contributed the hit "Gypsy", and released a second solo album titled "The Wild Heart" in 1983, which featured the Prince inspired track "Stand Back", and "If Anyone Falls". In 1985 she released the album "Rock A Little" scoring more hit singles with "Talk To Me" and "I Can't Wait".
For the next couple of years Nicks withdrew from performing and during her hiatus was treated for drug addiction. Nicks was treated for an addiction to cocaine at the Betty Ford clinic. Later, Nicks was advised to take a sedative to counteract her anxiety after ceasing her use of cocaine which lead to another addiction battle in which she overcame along with her sixty cigarette per day habit. Her next album was with Fleetwood Mac. Titled Tango in the Night Nicks' song "Seven Wonders" was one of the album's biggest hits. Sandy Stewart wrote the song "Seven Wonders". Since Nicks only listened to the song a small number of times, 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 tour. Nicks stayed with the group through 1990, when they recorded Behind the Mask. The album received damp reviews and had only one semi-successful single (from Christine McVie). After the tour, Nicks left the group.
In 1989 Nicks also released her latest solo album, The Other Side of the Mirror. Sales were not as strong as expected, a pattern which continued for her 1991 "greatest hits" album and culminated in the outright flop of her 1994 album Street Angel. Stevie was crushed by the weak numbers and by the vicious attacks from critics because of her weight gain. One of her rare public appearances around this time was performing Don't Stop at the 1993 Inaugural Gala for President Bill Clinton. She entered seclusion for a number of years, beat her sedative addiction, and lost weight. She returned to the spotlight in 1997 when plans to help Mick Fleetwood with a solo album turned into one final album with the Rumours era group -- including Lindsey Buckingham. This album, The Dance, rocketed to #1 on the charts and Stevie's single "Silver Spring" (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 another greatest hits package and then a solo album and tour in 2001, Trouble in Shangri-La, which placed high on the charts. 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. This was followed by another 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 respectable sales and generally positive reviews. Their tour of America, Europe and Australia ended in September 2004.
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. 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 currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. 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 (who outraged Stevie in the early 90's when he claimed in a magazine interview that she had aborted his child), 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.
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.
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. Stevie was also the basis for the character Jynx on the popular children's TV series Pokémon.
Stevie Nicks was ranked # 14 on VH1's list of most influential female artists in music history.
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 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.
A New York City campy 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.
Nicks played the guitar part for the Destiny's Child song Bootylicious as well as appearing in the video. An interview about her role in the song and video is featured in the corresponding Making the Video documentary.
External links
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)
Last updated: 05-09-2005 17:06:39
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04
