These are frequently asked questions (FAQ) about singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks.
Sections: Biography | Family & Friends | Love | Music | Health & Wellness | Image | Interests | Pets | Philanthropy & Politics | Books | Rumours
Biography & Early Years
What is Stevie’s real name?
Stevie’s full name is Stephanie Lynn Nicks. Stevie is a nickname that dates back to her early childhood when she had trouble pronouncing her name. She had called herself “TeeDee.”
Where was Stevie born?
Stevie was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 26, 1948.
Where did Stevie grow up?
Because of Stevie’s father’s frequent job promotions, the Nicks family relocated often when she was a child. Here is a list of places where the family lived:
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Los Angeles, California
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- El Paso, Texas
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Arcadia, California
- Atherton, California
- Chicago, Illinois (Stevie had stayed back in California to attend school and pursue music.)
The Nicks family eventually returned to Stevie’s birthplace of Arizona, settling in Maricopa County.
Stevie alludes to the frequent relocations in the song “Candlebright” (recorded for the 2001 album Trouble in Shangri-La), in which she describes herself as a “nomad” who’s been “rolling around my whole life.”
Well, you know me, I’m a nomad
I can’t feel bad about the way I am
I’ve been rolling around my whole life
You’re my candlebright in the window
Due to the temporary living circumstances, Stevie’s mother often encouraged her “to make friends fast.”
Where did Stevie go to school?
The Nicks family relocated frequently when Stevie was a child. For pre-Kindergarten through Grade 2, Stevie attended public schools in Los Angeles. For Grades 3 through 7, Stevie attended public schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
For Grades 8 and 9, she attended Wasatch Junior High in Salt Lake County, UT. Though raised Episcopalian, Stevie ended up attending a strict Catholic high school in downtown Salt Lake City for her freshmen year because she did not maintain a B average while in junior high school, a stipulation from her parents.
When the Nicks family relocated to Southern California, Stevie attended Arcadia High School for her sophomore (Grade 10) and junior (Grade 11) years from 1964 to 1965. In the middle of her junior year, she transferred to Menlo-Atherton High School in Northern California, where she graduated the following year.
At the end of Stevie’s senior year (Grade 12) in high school, the Nicks family relocated yet again, this time to Chicago, Illinois But Stevie stayed in California to continue her education and pursue music. She attended San Jose College (University), where she majored in speech communication and minored in psychology. Stevie would have pursued a career in teaching if she didn’t succeed in the music business.
Although Stevie graduated from Menlo-Alterton High Schoo, she attended Arcadia High School’s Class of 1966’s 40th reunion on October 7, 2006 at the Westin Hotel in Pasadena, California, where she reminisced with her old classmates.
Did Stevie have a job before joining Fleetwood Mac?
Yes. Stevie held customer service positions before joining Fleetwood Mac. After Polydor Records dropped Buckingham Nicks from their label, she took jobs to keep the duo float. In 1974, she worked as a waitress at Clementine’s, a fashionable single rendezvous in Bevery Hills; a dental assistant; and a hostess at Bob’s Big Boy in Los Angeles. She also famously cleaned producer Keith Olsen’s house (a.k.a. “The Cleaning Lady”).
Where does Stevie live now?
Stevie currently resides at different properties in Southern California.
How tall is Stevie?
Stevie is between 5’1 and 5’2″ in height.
What’s Stevie’s shoe size?
6.5
What’s Stevie’s eye color?
Brown
What is Stevie’s natural hair color?
Brown
What hand does Stevie write with?
Right
What is Stevie’s astrological sign?
Born May 26, Stevie is a Gemini.
What are Stevie’s pronouns?
Stevie’s pronouns are she, her, and hers.
What is Stevie’s gender identity and sexual orientation?
Stevie identifies as a cis gender woman with a heterosexual orientation.
Family & Friends
Who are Stevie’s family members?
Stevie’s parents were Jess Seth Nicks and Barbara Meeks Nicks. Jess, 80, died on August 10, 2005, and Barbara, 84, died on December 28, 2012. She has one younger brother, Christopher, who married Stevie’s backup singer Lori Nicks. They have one child, Jessica James Nicks, Stevie’s niece. You can read more about Stevie’s family tree at Genealogy Magazine.
Who is Stevie’s godson, the one that inspired the song “You Can’t Fix This”?
Stevie’s godson was Glen Berlin Parrish, Jr., the son of Stevie’s good friend and former manager Glen Parrish, Sr. The younger Parrish died on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at a UCLA fraternity party, allegedly from alcohol and prescription-medication toxicity.
Who is Stevie’s best friend?
Stevie has said Mick Fleetwood, Sara Fleetwood, Lori Nicks, Waddy Wachtel, and the late Robin Snyder Anderson and Christine McVie are all her best friends, but Stevie has many close friends.
Does Stevie have any biological children?
No. Because of her career, Stevie chose not to have children. In People, Stevie revealed that she had considered adopting a child (a girl) but changed her mind after realizing that the demands of her life would not be compatible with raising a child. She would have called the child “Lillian Rebecca.”
Because of Stevie’s caring, maternal nature, however, many of her close friends have entrusted her to be the godmother of their children. She also considers Matthew Anderson, the son of her ex-husband Kim Anderson and late Robin Snyder Anderson, to be her stepson. Matthew now has a daughter named after his late mother.
Who is Sharon Celani?
Sharon Celani is one of Stevie’s backup singers. In 1977, Stevie met Sharon at The Blue Max, a nightclub called The Blue Max on Lahaina, Maui’s Front St. Sharon had been performing there, singing Warren Zevon’s “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” (later covered by Linda Ronstadt and Teri Clark). Impressed with Sharon’s singing, Stevie asked her if she would be interested in singing with her in the future. They hit it off and later rehearsed “Blue Water,” a song that Stevie had written in Maui.
Who is Lori Nicks?
Lori Nicks is one of Stevie’s backup singers. Stevie met Lori through Gordon Perry (Lori’s ex-husband), who knew Buckingham Nicks producer Keith Olsen. Like guitarist Waddy Watchtel, Lori is one of Stevie’s closest friends. Lori later married Stevie’s brother Christopher, and together they had one child, Jessica “Jessi” James, born September 27, 1991. (Lori and Christopher are no longer married.) Stevie often refers to Lori as her sister.
Who is Marilyn Martin?
Marilyn Martin is one of Stevie’s backup singers. She is best known for singing on the No. 1 single “Separate Lives,” a duet with Phil Collins, from the White Nights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985). Stevie met Marilyn through Doug Morris, former president of Atlantic Records, in 1984. She recorded Stevie’s song “Sorcerer” for the Streets of Fire: Original Motional Picture Soundtrack (1984) and backup vocals for Stevie’s third solo album Rock a Little (1985). Marilyn had a brief solo career, releasing three solo albums: Marilyn Martin (1986), This Is Serious (1988), and Trust, Love, Pray (2012). She has been touring with Stevie as a background vocalist since the 24 Karat Gold Tour (2016). Stevie affectionately refers to Marilyn as “Mini.”
Who is Robin Anderson?
Robin Anderson (nee Snyder) was Stevie’s childhood friend. They met at Arcadia High School in the mid-1960s. Sadly, Robin succumbed to leukemia in 1982. Shortly before passing away, Robin gave birth to her and her husband’s (record executive Kim Anderson) son, Matthew. Partly out of their grief, Stevie and Kim married in 1983 but divorced after only three months.
Robin Snyder Anderson was Stevie’s childhood friend. They met at Arcadia High School in the mid-1960s. Sadly, Robin succumbed to leukemia in 1982. Shortly before passing away, Robin gave birth to her and her husband’s (record executive Kim Anderson) son, Matthew. Partly out of their grief, Stevie and Kim married in 1983 but divorced after only three months.
Who is Sara Fleetwood?
Sara Fleetwood is one of Stevie’s close, longtime friends. She assisted with recording the demo for Fleetwood Mac’s 1979 hit “Sara.” The song’s title was inspired by her. “I used her name because I love the name so much.” (EW, 2009). “My friend Sara was there when I wrote it. She kept the coffee going and kept the cassettes coming and made sure we didn’t run out of batteries, and it was a long, long night recording that demo. She was a great songwriter helper. Sara was the poet in my heart. She likes to think it was all written about her, but it really wasn’t. She’s in there, for sure, but it’s written about a lot of other things, too.” (Tusk liner notes, 2015).
In 1994, Sara joined Stevie as one of her background singers for the Street Angel Tour.
Who is Sandy Stewart?
Sandy Stewart is a singer-songwriter who has collaborated with Stevie on many songs, such as “If Anyone Falls,” “Nightbird,” and tracks from Stewart’s 1983 solo album Cat Dancer. Stewart also co-wrote the songs “Seven Wonders” from Tango in the Night, “Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind” from Street Angel, and “Too Far From Texas” from Trouble in Shangri-La.
Who is Michael Campbell?
Michael Campbell is a guitarist from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who has frequently collaborated with Stevie. As with Sandy Stewart, Campbell’s role has been to provide instrumental tracks, to which Stevie can add her lyrics. “Whole Lotta Trouble,” “Freedom,” and “Blue Denim” are just a few examples of their collaborations. In 2018, Campbell joined Fleetwood Mac on their “An Evening with Fleetwood Mac” tour.
Who is Glen Parrish?
Who is Glen Parrish?
Glen Parrish is Stevie’s good friend and former manager. Sadly, Glen’s son, Glen B. Parrish, Jr., died in 2011 at the age of 18, allegedly from an accidental drug overdose. Stevie’s song “You Can’t Fix This” was inspired by this incident.
New Year’s revelers: Fiona Locke, Stevie Nicks, Glen Parish, and John Nicks
Who is Stevie’s assistant?
Karen Johnston has been Stevie’s loyal personal assistant and close friend since 1990. Karen took care of Stevie’s former Phoenix home for many years. Prior to then, “Ginny Kamano” a.k.a “The Fan Mail Lady” assisted Stevie, as well as Karen’s sister, Kelly, who co-wrote the Fleetwood Mac song “No Questions Asked.”
Love & Romance
Who was Stevie’s first boyfriend?
Stevie’s first real boyfriend was David “Dave” Young. Stevie met David while attending Menlo-Atherton High School in Northern California during the late 1960s. “He was gorgeous, he was the quarterback, and I went out with him for almost five years. I broke up with him for Lindsey (Buckingham).” Dave and Stevie were five votes short of being named King and Queen of their Senior Ball in 1966. Dave became a teacher and still lives in the Bay Area with his wife. Stevie often dedicates “Landslide” to Dave when she performs shows in the area.
Who is Derek Taylor?
The late Derek Taylor was the road manager of The Beatles. Stevie and Derek had a late 1970s affair, which was the subject of the song “Beautiful Child” from Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. “[Derek] used to read poetry out loud to me in his beautiful English voice, and I would sit at his feet, just mesmerized, and he would say, ‘You are a beautiful child,’ and I’d say, ‘I’m not a child anymore.’ He was married, so we stopped, because it was going to hurt a lot of people. The song is like a straight retelling of the last night of that relationship. Every time I sing it I’m transported back to the Beverly Hills Hotel and walking across the grounds to get a cab after saying goodbye.” (Tusk Deluxe Edition liner notes, 2015)
Who are Stevie’s great loves?
Stevie has said that Dave Young, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, and Joe Walsh are the great loves of her life. She has written songs about all four men. In her live performances of “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You,” she has spoken about “the men in her life,” revealing “As difficult as it has been, they were poets. Yet they were priests of nothing. But they were legends. And I thought there was a connection.” Stevie has had many fabulous romances!
Who is Joe Walsh?
Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh was Stevie’s “great, great love” of her life for about two years in the early 1980s, when the two dated. “There was nothing more important than Joe Walsh — not my music, not my songs, not anything,” Stevie says. But cocaine ruined the romance. “We had to break up or we thought we’d die. It took me years to get over it. It’s very sad, but at least we survived.” (People, 5/4/2009)
Has Stevie ever been married?
Yes, once. Stevie married record executive Kim Anderson in 1983, but the marriage only lasted three months. They did not have children. Anderson had one child, Matthew, with his previous wife, the late Robin Snyder, who died of leukemia in 1982. Stevie remains in touch with both Kim and Matthew Anderson. Stevie considers Matthew to be her stepson.
Music & Career
What is the first song that Stevie ever wrote?
For Stevie’s 16th birthday, her parents gifted her a Goya guitar. She wrote “I’ve Loved and I’ve Lost,” a song about a boy who she was interested in, but ended up dating her best friend instead.
What was Stevie’s first band?
While attending Arcadia High School in Los Angeles, Stevie joined her first band, a folk-rock group called The Changing Times. Their name was taken from Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changing.”
After graduating from Menlo-Atherton in Northern California, she performed in the psychedelic rock band Fritz from 1968 to 1971.
After quitting Fritz, Stevie and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham became the duo Buckingham Nicks from 1971 to 1974. Together, they recorded one self-titled album for Polydor Records in 1973.
What is the song “Sara” about?
“Sara” is mainly about Stevie’s three-month affair with Mick Fleetwood in 1977. But, like many of Stevie’s songs, “Sara” alludes to different things happening in her life, as the original version contains many unreleased verses. “It’s about myself, and what all of us in Fleetwood Mac were going through at that time. The true version of that song is 16 minutes long. It’s a saga with many verses people haven’t heard.” (Us, 1994)
“A great dark wing…”
The first half of the song is about Stevie and Mick’s romance. The following verse specifically refers to Mick:
And he was just like
A great dark wing
Within the wings of a storm
I think I had met my match
He was singing
And undoing…
And undoing…
The laces…
Undoing the laces
Said Sara…you’re the poet in my heart ~
The song’s title was inspired by Stevie’s good friend Sara Fleetwood. “I used her name because I love the name so much.” (EW, 2009). Stevie confirmed in the liner notes of the Tusk reissue (2015) that the Sara referenced in the song was, indeed, Sara Fleetwood, who assisted her during the recording of the song. “My friend Sara was there when I wrote it. She kept the coffee going and kept the cassettes coming and made sure we didn’t run out of batteries, and it was a long, long night recording that demo. She was a great songwriter helper. Sara was the poet in my heart. She likes to think it was all written about her, but it really wasn’t. She’s in there, for sure, but it’s written about a lot of other things, too.”
When you build your house ~
The Eagles drummer Don Henley believed that the lyric “when you build your house, call me” was about him. “I was building my house at the time,” Don said, “and there’s a line in the song that says, ‘And when you build your house, call me.’” (GQ, 1991). Stevie confirmed Don as the inspiration for the actual lyric, telling Ryan Murphy in 1994, “That is true.”
But the lyric’s actual meaning seems to be broader. “‘When you build your house’ was about when you get your act together,” Stevie wrote in the 2015 Tusk reissue liner notes. “Then let me know, because until you get your act together, I really can’t be around you.” Stevie hinted that line could actually be about The Eagles songwriter J.D. Souther. “Mick was the “great dark wing within the wings of a storm,” but when I was going with Mick, I was hanging out with J.D. Souther and he kept saying, ‘You do know this relationship with Mick is never going to work, don’t you?’ And I said, ‘Well, when I get out of it, I’ll let you know.” And so there’s bits and pieces of him there talking to me.”
There’s a heartbeat and it never really died ~
For many years, it was rumored that Stevie had become pregnant with Don Henley’s child. “I believe, to the best of my knowledge, [that Stevie] became pregnant by me,” Don told GQ in 1991. “And she named the kid Sara, and she had an abortion – and then wrote the song of the same name to the spirit of the aborted baby.”
Stevie addressed the pregnancy and subsequent abortion in a 1994 radio interview. “He blew it on the fact that I had an abortion. He told a big magazine that… I would never have told the world that. 92 phone calls from Don and 800 apologies later, well, that story’s out now.”
In 2014, she again confirmed the pregnancy to Billboard. “Had I married Don and had that baby, and had she been a girl, I would have named her Sara. But there was another woman in my life named Sara, who shortly after that became Mick’s wife, Sara Fleetwood.”
What is the song “Sara” about?
“Sara” is mainly about Stevie’s three-month affair with Mick Fleetwood in 1977. But, like many of Stevie’s songs, “Sara” alludes to different things happening in her life, as the original version contains many unreleased verses. “It’s about myself, and what all of us in Fleetwood Mac were going through at that time. The true version of that song is 16 minutes long. It’s a saga with many verses people haven’t heard.” (Us, 1994)
“A great dark wing…”
The first half of the song is about Stevie and Mick’s romance. The following verse specifically refers to Mick:
And he was just like
A great dark wing
Within the wings of a storm
I think I had met my match
He was singing
And undoing…
And undoing…
The laces…
Undoing the laces
Said Sara…you’re the poet in my heart ~
The song’s title was inspired by Stevie’s good friend Sara Fleetwood. “I used her name because I love the name so much.” (EW, 2009). Stevie confirmed in the liner notes of the Tusk reissue (2015) that the Sara referenced in the song was, indeed, Sara Fleetwood, who assisted her during the recording of the song. “My friend Sara was there when I wrote it. She kept the coffee going and kept the cassettes coming and made sure we didn’t run out of batteries, and it was a long, long night recording that demo. She was a great songwriter helper. Sara was the poet in my heart. She likes to think it was all written about her, but it really wasn’t. She’s in there, for sure, but it’s written about a lot of other things, too.”
When you build your house ~
The Eagles drummer Don Henley believed that the lyric “when you build your house, call me” was about him. “I was building my house at the time,” Don said, “and there’s a line in the song that says, ‘And when you build your house, call me.’” (GQ, 1991). Stevie confirmed Don as the inspiration for the actual lyric, telling Ryan Murphy in 1994, “That is true.”
But the lyric’s actual meaning seems to be broader. “‘When you build your house’ was about when you get your act together,” Stevie wrote in the 2015 Tusk reissue liner notes. “Then let me know, because until you get your act together, I really can’t be around you.” Stevie hinted that line could actually be about The Eagles songwriter J.D. Souther. “Mick was the “great dark wing within the wings of a storm,” but when I was going with Mick, I was hanging out with J.D. Souther and he kept saying, ‘You do know this relationship with Mick is never going to work, don’t you?’ And I said, ‘Well, when I get out of it, I’ll let you know.” And so there’s bits and pieces of him there talking to me.”
There’s a heartbeat and it never really died ~
For many years, it was rumored that Stevie had become pregnant with Don Henley’s child. “I believe, to the best of my knowledge, [that Stevie] became pregnant by me,” Don told GQ in 1991. “And she named the kid Sara, and she had an abortion – and then wrote the song of the same name to the spirit of the aborted baby.”
Stevie addressed the pregnancy and subsequent abortion in a 1994 radio interview. “He blew it on the fact that I had an abortion. He told a big magazine that… I would never have told the world that. 92 phone calls from Don and 800 apologies later, well, that story’s out now.”
In 2014, she again confirmed the pregnancy to Billboard. “Had I married Don and had that baby, and had she been a girl, I would have named her Sara. But there was another woman in my life named Sara, who shortly after that became Mick’s wife, Sara Fleetwood.”
What is the song “Gypsy” about?
In “Gypsy,” Stevie reflects on her young-adult life in the 1960s and early 1970s. She describes it as a wish or a search for the life she knew before Fleetwood Mac.
So I’m back to the Velvet Underground ~
The first verse of the song includes the lyric “So I’m back to the Velvet Underground,” which refers to visiting a San Francisco clothing store called The Velvet Underground, where all the female rock stars of the time allegedly shopped. The store, located in the Haight/Ashbury district of San Francisco, no longer exists.
“That’s the words: ‘So I’m back to the velvet underground’ — which is a clothing store in downtown San Francisco, where Janis Joplin got her clothes, and Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane, it was this little hole in the wall, amazing, beautiful stuff — ‘back to the floor that I love, to a room with some lace and paper flowers, back to the gypsy that I was.’ So that’s what “Gypsy” means: it’s just a search for before this all happened.” (EW, 2009)
“In the old days, before Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey (Buckingham) and I had no money, so we had a king-size mattress, but we just had it on the floor. I had old vintage coverlets on it, and even though we had no money it was still really pretty… Just that and a lamp on the floor, and that was it—there was a certain calmness about it. To this day, when I’m feeling cluttered, I will take my mattress off of my beautiful bed, wherever that may be, and put it outside my bedroom, with a table and a little lamp.”
Lightning strikes maybe once maybe twice ~ I still see your bright eyes ~
The lyrics “Lightning strikes maybe once maybe twice” and “I still see your bright eyes” are associated with Stevie’s childhood friend Robin Snyder Anderson, whom Stevie met at Arcadia High School in the mid-1960s. Sadly, Robin passed away after battling leukemia in 1982. “I tacked on a line for my friend Robin, my best friend, who died of leukemia: ‘I still see your bright eyes.’ But then, Robin wasn’t sick yet. She got cancer, and died within a year” (EW, 2009). Stevie later reflected on Robin’s death in the song “Nightbird” from Stevie’s 1983 album The Wild Heart.
What is the song “Silver Springs” about?
“Silver Springs” is about Stevie’s breakup from ex-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham. The title was inspired by a sign, bearing the name of the city Silver Spring, Maryland, where Stevie was passing through. She thought the the city sounded like a “pretty nice place to live.” The song was recorded for Rumours but was controversially removed due to vinyl-record space limitations. Mick Fleetwood ultimately had the final say on the matter, a decision that would cause friction between Stevie and Mick for years. “Silver Springs” was released as the b-side of the “Go Your Own Way” single.
In 1990, Stevie planned to release her first retrospective Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks and wanted to include “Silver Springs.” But Mick wanted to include the elusive track on Fleetwood Mac’s retrospective 25 Years: The Chain (1992). “Silver Springs” was especially personal to Stevie because she had assigned song royalties to her mother Barbara, who affectionately referred to “Silver Springs” as her “rainy-day song.”
Ultimately, Mick didn’t approve the song’s release on Timespace, and it was subsequently released on Fleetwood Mac’s 25 Years. Hurt by this decision, Stevie distanced herself from Fleetwood Mac and left the band altogether in 1992 (with fellow bandmate Christine McVie). In interviews around this time, Stevie described Mick’s decision to withhold “Silver Springs” as having “messed with [her] family.”
In 1997, Stevie and Mick resolved the issue when Fleetwood Mac recorded a new version of “Silver Springs” for the live reunion album The Dance. Symbolically, Warner Bros. released “Silver Springs” as a promotional A-side single with “Go Your Own Way” as the B-side.
In 2004, Warner Bros. reissued Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, restoring “Silver Springs” to the album as Track 7 between “Songbird” and “The Chain.” For the 2013 reissue, “Silver Springs” shifted positions in the running order, moving to Track 12.
In 2007, Warner Bros. granted rights to release the original version of “Silver Springs” on Stevie’s third retrospective release Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks.
Are “Books of Miracles” and “Juliet” the same song?
Yes. Fleetwood Mac rehearsed “Juliet” for Tango in the Night, but it was not recorded for the album. The resulting instrumental track, dubbed”Book of Miracles,” later surfaced as the b-side of the “Seven Wonders” single. “Juliet (Run-Through),” a demo of the song, appears on the 2017 deluxe edition of Tango in the Night. Stevie recorded “Juliet” for her fourth solo album The Other Side of the Mirror (1989).
When did Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham decide to join Fleetwood Mac?
On December 31, 1974, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham had dinner with the members of Fleetwood Mac at El Carmen, a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, which has been in business since 1929. According to Mick Fleetwood, the main purpose of the dinner was to see if then-unknown Stevie Nicks and veteran keyboardist Christine McVie would get along as future bandmates. The two women hit it off fabulously, Stevie and Lindsey accepted Mick’s offer to join Fleetwood Mac, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Where was the “Rooms on Fire” video filmed?
Stevie rented “The Dutch Castle,” located at 1366 Angelo Drive in Beverly Hills, for her “Rooms of Fire” music video. The song’s album The Other Side of the Mirror was recorded there. Some of the songwriting for the album was inspired by the castle’s 16th-Century architecture. Stevie later admitted that the monthly rent for the grand setting was $25,000.
Here are some facts about The Dutch Castle:
“The Dutch Castle — 1366 Angelo Dr., Beverly Hills. Also known as Kasteel Kamphuyzen, the 6,000-square-foot main house and 1,600-square-foot gatehouse are perched on the edge of a canyon in Beverly Hills, the scene of many civic, corporate and charitable galas. The castle was built in 1981 by Beverly Hills designer Mark Nixon and named for his business partner, Baron Herbert Hischemoeller van Kamphuyzen of the Netherlands. The structures boast stepped gables, inspired by the 16th-Century castles and townhouses of Holland” (Los Angeles Times, 1992).
Is it true that Stevie Nicks was going to be the original singer of Blondie’s 1979 #1 hit “Call Me?”
Yes. Italian producer Giorgio Moroder approached Stevie Nicks to sing on a track he had originally titled “Man Machine,” but she turned it down. Moroder then presented the song to Blondie singer Debbie Harry, who agreed to collaborate with him if the lyrics were rewritten. According to Blondie producer and bandmate Chris Stein, “Debbie’s lyrics are much more subtle than what [Giorgio] wrote. He was very direct like saying, “I am a man and I go out and I fuck all the girls.” Debbie’s lyrics are a lot more subtle, and the movie in a way is not that blatant.” (Bockris, 2016).
Did Prince really ask Stevie to write the lyrics to “Purple Rain”?
Yes. After the success of “Stand Back,” which featured Prince’s distinctive keyboard and guitar work, Prince asked Stevie if they could write a song together. So he sent her a cassette of a long instrumental track and invited her to write lyrics. But the task proved to be too challenging for Stevie. “It was so overwhelming, that 10-minute track, that I listened to it and I just got scared. I called him back and said, ‘I can’t do it. I wish I could. It’s too much for me.’ I’m so glad that I didn’t, because he wrote it, and it became ‘Purple Rain.’” (Star Tribune, 2011).
Is it true that the 1987 song “These Dreams,” the #1 single recorded by Heart, was originally intended for Stevie to sing?
Yes. Songwriter Bernie Taupin, best known for his work with Elton John, wrote the lyrics with Stevie in mind. But because the lyrics were too similar to what Stevie would write herself, she turned the song down. Musician Martin Page, the song’s co-writer, confirmed the story to Songwriter Universe. “With ‘These Dreams,’ Bernie wrote a lyric that was initially called ‘Boys In The Mist.’ It was a lyric that he had originally given to Stevie Nicks. But Stevie wasn’t interested in it or wasn’t available to do it, so he sent it to me. I was able to convince him to change the title to ‘These Dreams’—he had written [those words] in the bridge. And he let me move it around” (Songwriter Universe, 2017).
How was Stevie persuaded to record a new vocal for “Dreams” with electronic music duo Deep Dish in 2005?
“Actually, [Stevie] required no persuading at all,” said Sharam Tayebi, one half of the Deep Dish duo. “We sent her a demo of our instrumental for approval and she apparently found it inspiring. She felt it was more appropriate to put down a new vocal, so as to make it a true reinterpretation. Fooling around with the original would be like messing with the Holy Grail. With [our version], she’s hoping to introduce the song to a whole new generation.” The new vocal was recorded at Village Studios in Los Angeles.
The new version of “Dreams” debuted at Stevie’s first Caesar’s Palace Colosseum show in Las Vegas on May 10, 2005. It was played just before the show started.
How many Grammy Awards does Stevie have?
Stevie has one Grammy Award with Fleetwood Mac. In 1978, Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album Rumours took the top prize for Best Album. She has been nominated eight times for her solo recordings, but she has never won an award for individual work.
Where can I find Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac concert setlists?
Setlist FM is a great resource to find Stevie Nicks concert setlists and Fleetwood Mac concert setlists.
Where can I find lyrics to Stevie’s songs?
The Nicks Fix has an extensive collection of song lyrics. You can also find some lyrics at Stevie Nicks Info, or perform a search on Google by typing Stevie’s name, her song title, and the word “lyrics” in the search box (e.g. Stevie Nicks Gold Dust Woman lyrics).
Who are Stevie’s musical influences?
Stevie’s early songwriting influences were Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby Stills & Nash. From these songwriters, Stevie learned to phrase her poetry into song, specifically citing Mitchell.
Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix served as stage influences when Stevie began performing professionally. In 2001, she told VH1 that she adopted her vocal phrasing from Joni Mitchell (as previously mentioned), vocal prowess from Aretha Franklin, and elegant stage presence from Grace Slick. In reference to Slick, Stevie wanted to be the “beautiful woman in black.”
Does Stevie play any musical instruments?
Stevie knows how to play simple chords on the piano and guitar, which helps her write songs. She took guitar lessons for a short time many years ago, but she is largely self-taught in music. Early in career with Fleetwood Mac, she used to play percussion instruments during concerts. Today, she usually plays a tambourine onstage.
Is Buckingham Nicks available as an official CD release?
No. Stevie and Lindsey own the rights to the original 1973 recording, but they have decided not to reissue it on CD at this time. Only two tracks from the original Buckingham Nicks album are officially available on CD: “Long Distance Winner,” which appears on Disc 3 of The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks (1998) and “Stephanie” from Lindsey Buckingham’s promotional CD Words & Music: A Retrospective. Though out of print, both releases are widely available through independent sellers.
In 2016, Stevie performed “Crying in the Night,” the first single from Buckingham Nicks, on her 24 Karat Gold Tour. The live recording was included on the subsequent vinyl, CD, and Blu-ray releases of 24 Karat Gold Tour Live in Concert.
What is Stevie’s record label?
BMG distributed Stevie’s most recent release, 24 Karat Gold Tour Live in Concert.
In 1980, Stevie founded Modern Records with record executives Danny Goldberg, Paul Fishkin, and Doug Morris, as a vehicle to launch her solo career. Modern operated under the label of Atco Records, a division of Atlantic Records. For overseas releases, Modern exclusively licensed Stevie’s recordings to EMI Records Limited, which operated worldwide. By the end of the ‘80s, Atco encountered serious financial problems and Atlantic took over operations.
By 1991, Atlantic Records eventually consolidated operations, merging Atco Records with EastWest Records, another Atlantic subsidiary. Stevie ended her recording label relationship with Atlantic Records after the release of The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks (1998).
In 2000, Stevie signed with Warner Bros./Reprise Records and released Trouble in Shangri-La (2001), Crystal Visions…The Very Best of Stevie Nicks (2007), The Soundstage Sessions (2009), In Your Dreams (2011), and 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault (2014).
In 2016, Rhino reissued Stevie’s first two solo albums, Bella Donna (1981) and The Wild Heart (1983); a vinyl-only compilation titled Rarities: 1981-1983 was also issued.
In 2019, Rhino released the retrospective Stand Back: 1981-2014 to coincide with Stevie’s solo inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2023, Rhino released Complete Studio Albums & Rarities.
Who are Stevie’s backup singers?
Stevie’s current backup singers are Sharon Celani and Marilyn Martin.
Stevie’s past backup singers include Stephanie “Stevvi” Alexander, Jana Anderson, George Black, Carolyn Brooks, Liza Jane Edwards, Sara Fleetwood, Lynne Mabrey, Lori Nicks, Rick Nowels, Steve Real Vasquez, Chas Sandford, Mindy Stein, Sandy Stewart, Maria Vidal, and Elisecia Wright.
In 2016, Marilyn Martin returned to Stevie’s solo band, replacing Lori Nicks, who chose to skip the tour to be with her daughter Jessica, who was expecting a child in January 2017.
Who is Stevie’s voice coach?
Steve Real Vasquez has been Stevie’s voice coach since 1997. He sings backup on Deep Dish featuring Stevie Nicks’ version of “Dreams,” which appears on Crystal Visions…The Very Best of Stevie Nicks (2007). He also sang “Leather and Lace” with Stevie during the 2011 In Your Dreams tour. He is credited for showing her appropriate techniques to help preserve her voice, such as performing vocal exercises hours before a show. Vasquez continues to work with Stevie to this day.
What did author Anne Rice think about the mention of her name in Stevie’s song “New Orleans.”
On May 9, 2011, Anne Rice responded on Facebook to the mention of her name in the song. She wrote, “I just got my first letter from a person who says he is trying my work thanks to the new Stevie Nicks song. I must say, I’m honoured by Stevie Nicks’ mention of me in that song. And hearing it makes me so homesick for New Orleans. So homesick for the oaks of uptown and the twilight sky over the Garden district, and the breeze off the river.”
Did Stevie sell her publishing rights?
Yes. In December 2020, Stevie sold the majority of her publishing rights to Primary Wave (approximated to be an 80% share) in a deal valued around $100 million. Some reasons that artists, like Stevie, have sold off their publishing rights include a lump-sum distibution, investments, tax benefits, artist legacy, personal circumstances, and lack of touring income due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood have made similar deals.
Who is Brad Jeffries?
Brad Jeffries is a former dancer, choreographer, and actor. He appeared in several of Stevie’s music videos, such as “Stand Back,” “If Anyone Falls,” “Talk to Me, “I Can’t Wait,” and “Rooms on Fire”. He is best known for dancing with Stevie during the instrumental solo of “Stand Back” at shows on The Wild Heart and Rock a Little tours. During the ’80s and ’90, Jeffries worked mainly as a film and stage choreographer. The two have kept in touch over the years.
Health & Wellness
How does Stevie maintain her youthful looks?
Stevie has credited staying out of the sun, using sunscreen, and Creme de la Mer face cream products to protect her skin. She also exercises regularly, incorporating a variety of activities, such as pilates, Power Plate workouts, and the treadmill.
Does Stevie smoke cigarettes?
No, not anymore. In 1984, Stevie started smoking Kools cigarettes during the recording of her third solo album Rock a Little. She quit smoking cigarettes altogether on January 1, 1997, just before the recording of Fleetwood Mac’s The Dance (1997).
Does Stevie use drugs?
In 1982, Stevie started to realize that using cocaine had become a serious problem. She put herself in a “self-imposed rehab” for two weeks, but the demands of an intensive three-day video shoot for “Gypsy” caused her to relapse into taking “a little bit of coke.”
In 1986, Stevie saw a plastic surgeon, who examined the condition of her nose. She had been using aspirin dissolved in water to treat terrible headaches (from cocaine use), but the aspirin’s acidity allegedly burned a hole through cartilage in her nose, with the potential to cause a brain hemorrhage. Stevie has described the hole as being so large that a belt could pass through it.
But it was an intervention from Stevie’s parents and friends that ultimately convinced her to seek professional help. In the spring of 1987, Stevie entered a 30-day program at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California, to treat a decade-long addiction to cocaine. She completed 28 days of the intensive program. Stevie captured her experience at Betty Ford in the songs “Welcome to the Room, Sara,” “When I See You Again,” and “I’m Doing the Best I Can (Escape from Berlin).”
Although Stevie made a full recovery, she later became addicted to prescription medication, which a psychiatrist had prescribed allegedly to help her sleep. In December 1993, Stevie entered a 47-day program at the (now-closed) Daniel Freeman Rehabilitation Center in Marina Del Ray, California, to treat a powerful addiction to the tranquilizer Klonopin. She has not used the drug since.
In 2015, Stevie revealed in a Rolling Stone interview that she occasionally smokes marijuana when writing songs.
How did Stevie get back into shape after the Street Angel Tour?
Along with exercise, Stevie lost 30 lbs. using Dr. Robert Atkins’s low-carbohydrate diet. In 1997, Stevie spoke publicly about her physical appearance during the Street Angel years. ”It was a horrible, horrible thing for me. I said, ‘I will not go on stage ever again if I don’t lose this weight. I just made a decision that I was going to be healthy and I was going to enjoy my life and I was going to enjoy my singing and I was going to enjoy how incredibly lucky I am to have been in a big, huge rock-and-roll band and been very successful and have songs that people loved and that they recite at their graduations and their funerals and their bar mitzvahs and their baby showers.”
Although the famous diet helped her slim down, Stevie no longer uses the Atkins diet.
Does Stevie wear glasses?
Stevie wears glasses primarily for reading. She maintains her eye health by getting regular checkups. In the mid-1990s, she had a procedure to correct severe near-sightedness. In August 2017, she had a procedure to remove cataracts.
Has Stevie ever had any cosmetic surgery done?
In 1976, Stevie had her breasts augmented with silicone implants. But she had the implants removed and her breasts reconstructed in 1994; the implants had broken. Stevie was also diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, a debilitating illness that can cause extreme fatigue. The illness is recurring and has no cure. In May 2020, Stevie confirmed to Rolling Stone that she had experienced another case of the virus in early 2020.
In 2003, Stevie experimented with Botox injections 10 days before the recording of Fleetwood Mac Live in Boston. Unfortunately, she was disappointed with the results of the cosmetic procedure, calling it “an ugly thing.” In 2020, she doubled down on that view, saying “Botox only makes you look like you’re in a satanic cult…Satan’s angry daughter.” (Stevens, 2020).
Is Stevie a vegetarian or vegan?
Stevie is not a vegetarian or vegan.
