What was Stevie Nicks’s relationship with Lindsey Buckingham?

Stevie Nicks met guitarist and vocalist Lindsey Buckingham while they were both in high school in California. In college she joined his psychedelic blues-rock band Fritz. Nicks and Buckingham left Fritz in the early 1970s, moved to Los Angeles, and formed a musical duo called Buckingham Nicks. During this time they solidified their romantic relationship. Buckingham Nicks released a self-titled album in 1973 that was minimally successful, though they were eventually dropped by their label. In 1975 Nicks and Buckingham joined the pop-rock band Fleetwood Mac; Buckingham had been invited to join by the band’s drummer and cofounder Mick Fleetwood, and Buckingham had stipulated that Nicks receive an invitation as well.

The stormy romance between Nicks and Buckingham fueled many of their compositions for Fleetwood Mac. The pair broke up in advance of the band’s seminal album Rumours (1977). “Dreams,” a song Nicks composed in 10 minutes, describes her wish to move on from their relationship. “Silver Springs,” released as the B-side of a single, targeted Buckingham directly; Nicks termed it a song of “love and revenge.” Buckingham also penned several songs about Nicks, including “Go Your Own Way.”