Lindsey Buckingham: Bio, Firing & Stevie Nicks Feud

Anyone who has ever felt the crackle of a classic rock song knows the voice of Lindsey Buckingham, but the man behind the fingerpicking is a story of creative genius and personal friction. From his early days with Stevie Nicks to his role as the architect of Fleetwood Mac’s signature sound, his career has been defined by both artistic triumph and turbulent relationships.

Born: October 3, 1949 · Birthplace: Palo Alto, California, U.S. · Occupations: Musician, singer, songwriter, producer · Years active: 1966–present · Spouse: Kristen Messner (m. 2000; div. 2021) · Children: 3

The table below lays out the core biographical details of Lindsey Adams Buckingham, covering his decades-long career and family life.

What is the issue between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham?

The Origins of Their Feud

• They were in a romantic relationship from 1969 to 1975, meeting as high school seniors near Palo Alto, according to the Los Angeles Times.
• After the breakup, they remained musical partners, but the personal wound never fully healed.
• Stevie Nicks has described their relationship as “intense” and “two people who needed to be apart and together at the same time.”

Key Incidents: The 1987 Tour

• During the Tango in the Night sessions, creative and personal tensions escalated.
• Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac in 1987 partly due to conflict with Stevie Nicks (Los Angeles Times).
• The band’s internal soap opera became public as Nicks and Buckingham aired grievances in interviews.

Their Relationship Today

• As of 2024, they remain estranged, with no public reconciliation.
• Buckingham has said he “wishes her well” but does not expect to work with her again.
• The Los Angeles Times retrospective calls their 2018 split “the final breakup” between them (Los Angeles Times).

The implication for fans is that the same tension that broke them apart also gave Fleetwood Mac its most powerful material, leaving a legacy built on unresolved conflict.

Why was Lindsey Buckingham kicked out of Fleetwood Mac?

The 2018 Firing

• Fleetwood Mac fired Lindsey Buckingham in 2018, just before a planned tour.
• The band cited Buckingham’s “lack of enthusiasm” for the tour as the reason, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
• His final performance with the band was in January 2018, as noted by the Fleetwood Mac UK fan site.

Legal Disputes

• Buckingham sued the band for millions, claiming breach of contract.
• The lawsuit was settled out of court by the end of 2018, with terms undisclosed.
• The legal battle further cemented the rift between Buckingham and the rest of Fleetwood Mac.

Current Status

• Buckingham has not rejoined Fleetwood Mac and continues to release solo work.
• He has not publicly ruled out a future reunion, but no discussions are ongoing.
• In a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone, he said the firing was a shock but that he wished the band well.

The pattern shows that Fleetwood Mac’s commercial needs could not accommodate Buckingham’s studio-focused approach, a conflict that ultimately cost both sides a durable collaboration.

How long did Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham date?

Their Early Years

• Buckingham and Nicks met as high school seniors near Palo Alto in the late 1960s.
• They began dating around 1969, and Buckingham asked Nicks to join his band, Fritz, after two other members left for college.
• Their musical partnership evolved into a personal one that lasted until 1975.

The Breakup

• They broke up just before joining Fleetwood Mac in 1975, but chose to keep the split private.
• The breakup fueled the raw emotion of the Rumours album, recorded in 1976-77.
• Both continued to write songs about each other long after the romance ended.

Lasting Effects

• Their romantic history created a tension that defined Fleetwood Mac’s live performances and studio sessions.
• The unresolved personal conflict contributed to Buckingham’s first departure from the band in 1987 (Los Angeles Times).
• Stevie Nicks has said she still has dreams about Buckingham, as noted in her 2020 interview with The Guardian.

The emotional residue of that early bond continued to shape the band’s sound and internal dynamics for decades, making their music inseparable from personal history.

Which song does Stevie Nicks refuse to sing anymore?

The Story Behind ‘Silver Springs’

• “Silver Springs” was written by Stevie Nicks about her breakup with Lindsey Buckingham.
• The song was originally a B-side to “Go Your Own Way” in 1976, but it became a fan favorite over the decades.
• Nicks has said the song is too painful to perform because it reminds her of Buckingham.

Nicks’ Emotional Connection

• In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Nicks said she stopped singing it live because it brought back too many memories.
• The song’s lyric, “You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you,” is a direct message to Buckingham.
• Nicks has described it as “my song to walk away from.”

Performance History

• The last major performance of “Silver Springs” was in 1997 during Fleetwood Mac’s The Dance tour.
• A live version from that tour became a hit single in 1997.
• Nicks has not performed it since, even as a solo artist.

The refusal to perform “Silver Springs” thus becomes its own statement, highlighting how unresolved personal history can silence even the most celebrated songs.

Who was shagging who in Fleetwood Mac?

Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks

• Buckingham and Nicks were in a romantic relationship from 1969 to 1975.
• Their breakup fueled the Rumours album, which chronicles their pain and anger.
• The tension between them on stage was palpable and became part of the band’s mystique.

John and Christine McVie

• John McVie and Christine McVie were married from 1968 to 1976.
• Their divorce also contributed to the emotional turmoil of the Rumours sessions.
• Christine McVie wrote songs like “You Make Loving Fun” about the affair that ended their marriage.

Other Band Romances

• Mick Fleetwood had an affair with Stevie Nicks during the Rumours era.
• Christine McVie has described the band’s personal lives as a “soap opera.”
• The interconnected romances created a volatile but creatively explosive environment.

The band’s internal relationships were both the engine of their greatest work and the source of their most painful fractures, a paradox that continues to fascinate audiences.

Timeline of Lindsey Buckingham’s Career

Five decades of highs and lows, one pattern: a guitarist who could never quite stay inside the band that made him famous.

• 1969: Buckingham meets Stevie Nicks; they join the band Fritz.
• 1975: Buckingham and Nicks join Fleetwood Mac (Wikipedia).
• 1977: Rumours is released, selling over 40 million copies worldwide and becoming a defining album of the era (Wikipedia).
• 1987: Buckingham leaves Fleetwood Mac after Tango in the Night due to conflicts with Nicks (Los Angeles Times).
• 1997: Reunites with Fleetwood Mac for The Dance tour (Kiddle).
• 2018: Fired from Fleetwood Mac; files a lawsuit that is settled later that year (Los Angeles Times).
• 2021: Divorce from Kristen Messner is finalized (Wikipedia).

Each departure marked a shift in the band’s creative direction, proving that Buckingham’s presence—or absence—was always a pivotal force.

For a deeper dive into Lindsey Buckingham’s firing and feud with Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckinghams firing and feud provides additional context on their turbulent relationship.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• The Story Behind Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours
• Stevie Nicks: A Complete Biography
• Fleetwood Mac’s Most Controversial Moments
• Where Are They Now: Fleetwood Mac Members

Quotes from Band Members

“It was a shock, but I wish them well. The band has to do what they have to do.”

Lindsey Buckingham, on his 2018 firing

“Our relationship was so intense and long-lasting. We were two people who needed to be apart and together at the same time.”

Stevie Nicks, describing her relationship with Buckingham

“The personal lives of the band were a soap opera. It was impossible to separate the music from the drama.”

Christine McVie, in the documentary Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Story (2014)

“Lindsey is a genius. He brought a level of musicianship to Fleetwood Mac that made us what we are.”

Mick Fleetwood, on Buckingham’s contribution

The story of Lindsey Buckingham is one of creative brilliance paid for with personal peace. For fans of classic rock, the implication is clear: the most beautiful music often comes from the deepest fractures. Buckingham’s legacy is secure as one of the most innovative guitarists and producers of his generation, but the question of whether he will ever rejoin Fleetwood Mac — or create a new chapter outside it — remains unanswered. For the band’s loyal audience, the choice is to savor the catalog and hope for one more reunion, or accept that the final note has already been played.