In Style
July 2003
The fan: Singer-songwriter Michelle Branch, a Grammy winner for her collaboration with Santana. Her second CD is Hotel Paper (Maverick).
The idol: Rock and Roll icon Stevie Nicks, whose combined album sales from Fleetwood Mac and solo projects total more than 60 million (the group’s latest is Say You Will, on Reprise).
Branch on Nicks: “I grew up listening to my mom’s Fleetwood Mac records. I remember hearing Stevie’s voice on ‘Rhiannon’ for the first time. It just sucks you in. She was my favorite part – in front of that whole band, carrying it with her voice and songs as a female, as a writer, as a musician. I’m from Arizona and she’s from Arizona, and as I got older, it was kind of like, Wow, someone actually made it out of Arizona and did this? I admire her for being strong and living through it. She’s a rock chick, one of the girls that you’re always jealous of because she’s hanging out with the guys.”
Nicks on Branch: “Michelle’s got a little funky thing going on. I can see that she wants to be kind of what I wanted to be like: able to kick butt in order to have people take me seriously. I didn’t want to be too beautiful. As far as being a music maven goes, I’m still doing this, and I want her to see that the road is unending if you get into your craft and fight for it. It’s a lot about your attitude-your attitude to not give up.”
