Stevie Nicks in 50 Songs, by Annie Zaleski
Turns out the Steve Nicks-Tom Petty hit, “Stop Dragging My Heart Around,” wasn’t a one-off collaboration. As recounted in 50 Songs, Nicks became “an integral part of the Heartbreakers family,” a fan from their first LP who often joined them on stage.
Rock critic Annie Zaleski’s nicely illustrated chronicle is a biography of the singer framed through songs associated with her career as well as written by her. Motown was an early influence, and Linda Ronstadt was inspirational. Nicks was already a (failed) recording artist—with romantic sparring partner Lindsey Buckingham—before one of her songs caught an ear within Fleetwood Mac, a British group on verge of reinventing itself once again. With Buckingham-Nicks onboard, a band that switched identities like shirts finally found a hitmaking formula.
Zaleski details the sources of such Nicks’ songs as “Landslide” and “Gold Dust Women” along with a remarkable side career dueting with everyone from Robin Zander to the Foo Fighters and Elton John.
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