Stevie Nicks is most well-known as the formidable frontwoman of Fleetwood Mac. Her stint with the soft rock outfit spawned countless classics of the genre, from the suitably titled ‘Dreams’ to the sprawling ‘The Chain’. Between her songwriting contributions and her wonderfully witchy dress sense, she became a rock and roll icon, paving the way for women in the genre. (Farout)
But Nicks’ work didn’t stop there. She embarked upon a solo career in the late 1980s, bringing her distinctive lyricism and soft rock stylings into their own. The driving ‘Edge of Seventeen’ would become her signature track, but she also became well-known for her love of duets. They had predated her solo work and would continue to define her career to this day.
Stevie Nicks enthused about being an "honorary" member of Gorillaz: both singing on the virtual band’s upcoming song "Oil" and popping up — in animated form — in the music video.
“Well, I have to tell you, it was really great,” said Nicks. “Because [‘Cracker Island’ co-producer] Greg Kurstin sent [the song] to me. I call Greg back, and I go, ‘Oh, I think this is now our new favorite song, and I haven’t even sung on it yet. But yes, I would love to do this.'”
Nicks added, “I learned that song as if I had written that song and as if I was an Englishman, with that accent. And I love it so much.”
Peter Frampton Join Stevie Nicks & Sheryl Crow at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony.
Stevie Nicks first joined Crow on “Strong Enough” from Crow’s 1993 album Tuesday Night Music Club. Crow played the acoustic guitar while Nicks stood before an elaborately decorated mic stand, and the two performed a slow, lilting duet. Next, Peter Frampton joined the stage as Crow introduced him as one of her “heroes.”
After a speech from her pal Laura Dern, Crow was back on the guitar for a one-two punch of two more hits. Alongside fellow Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks – who hailed Crow as “everything every girl should want to be” – Crow sang “Strong Enough,” blending voices with the Fleetwood Mac legend. After that, Peter Frampton, whom Crow described as “one of my heroes,” joined Crow and Nicks for “Everyday Is a Winding Road.”
Kenny Loggins – ‘Whenever I Call You “Friend”’
Just one year after the release of Fleetwood Mac’s fabled and aptly titled magnum opus, Rumours, Nicks leant her voice to a slightly gentler take on the love song. The frontwoman linked up with Kenny Loggins in the late 1970s to concoct a one-off soft rock song about “sweet love,” titled ‘Whenever I Call You “Friend”’.
Over Beach Boys-esque backing vocals and sparse percussion, Loggins and Nicks sing of always and forever in perfect harmony. A stark contrast to the turbulence of Rumours, the lyrics compare their lover to home and heaven, depicting a stable, transcendent kind of love. “Everything I do takes me back to you,” they conclude, “Whenever I call you friend.” It’s a gorgeous collaboration and a welcome change from Nicks’ more chaotic sonic romances.
Lana Del Rey – ‘Beautiful People Beautiful Problems’
Fast forward a couple of decades, and Nicks still can’t keep herself away from a duet. In 2017, the frontwoman made an appearance on coquette queen Lana Del Rey’s fifth record, Lust for Life. Del Rey’s weighty, wonder-inducing voice takes on the first verse of the song, with Nicks only making her entry as the song delves into its gorgeous chorus.
Miley Cyrus – ‘Edge of Midnight’
Del Rey isn’t the only modern pop artist Nicks has worked with on a duet. In 2020, the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman featured on a track by Disney star turned rockstar Miley Cyrus as part of her hot pink seventh record, Plastic Hearts. The opening twangs to the track may sound familiar to fans of Nicks, as they take from the opening moments of her signature single, ‘Edge of Seventeen’.
The remix delves from that recognisable riff into Cyrus’ track ‘Midnight Sky’. The pair come together to sing the chorus, which includes some iconic lines from the Nicks track. “Just like the white winged dove sings a song sounds like she’s singing,” Nicks sings just as confidently as she did four decades earlier. It’s an electric melding of tracks and artists.
