Her journey to rock royalty began quietly in San Francisco, where she started songwriting and performing in high school, eventually crossing paths with the man who would become her longtime musical partner and romantic companion, Lindsey Buckingham.
The artist poses for a portrait in circa 1976
Together, they signed with Polydor Records and released a collaborative album that flopped. But failure, it turned out, was just a setup. Mick Fleetwood heard something in them and invited the duo to join Fleetwood Mac a decision that would reshape rock history.
Mick Fleetwood and the singer attend an event in circa 1976.
By 1975, the band’s self-titled album had topped the charts, powered in no small part by her signature song “Rhiannon.” Then came 1977 and the legendary “Rumours” album — one of the best-selling records of all time — which was released around the same time her relationship with Buckingham ended.
The artist performs on stage with Fleetwood Mac in New York, circa 1977.
She launched her solo career in 1981 to instant success, but the pressure of straddling both worlds took a heavy toll. She battled addictions to cocaine and prescription medication before getting treatment, vowing she would never perform publicly again. Fleetwood Mac’s 1997 reunion tour lured her back — and she never really left again.
The artist joins Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers onstage as the band plays at the Meadowlands Arena on July 30, 1981 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
She has spoken openly about the personal sacrifices her career demanded. In a revealing late 2024 interview, she recounted a moment from 1979 that she had kept private for years.
The artist performs at the Oakland Coliseum on her first solo tour on December 3, 1981 in California.
