Lindsey Buckingham’s love for music was apparent at an early age. As a youngster, Buckingham taught himself to play the guitar by listening to his older brother’s extensive collection of 45s. The music had such an impression on Buckingham that by the time he was thirteen, young Buckingham was playing guitar and singing with a Kingston Trio-inspired folk group near his native Atherton, California. As a student at Menlo-Atherton High School, Lindsey Buckingham met future musical (and eventual romantic) partner, Stevie Nicks. Not long after meeting, Buckingham and Nicks began performing together in a San Francisco group named Fritz, after a high school contemporary of the teenage bandmates. The band was a success, and lasted for a few years, into the college years of Buckingham and Nicks.

After a few years of popular success playing parties and even high school graduations, Fritz disbanded in 1971. Both Buckingham and Nicks dropped out of San Jose Stage College to pursue a music career in Los Angeles. After taking various odd jobs, the duo had a breakthrough when they signed a deal with Polydor Records. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks first record, Buckingham Nicks was released in 1973. (The album of originals featured the songs “Don’t Let Me Down Again” and “Crystal,” which would later be revived by Fleetwood Mac.)

Buckingham Nicks didn’t prove successful, and times were tough for the songwriting partners. Things were looking bleak when on New Year’s Eve of 1974; Mick Fleetwood invited Buckingham and Nicks to join the emerging rock band, Fleetwood Mac. It was as a member and songwriting authority in Fleetwood Mac that Buckingham would have his greatest popular and critical success.

Fleetwood Mac’s first album with Buckingham and Nicks, 1975’s Rumours broke all Warner Brothers sales records. Fleetwood Mac would continue on their musical hot streak, eventually splitting as its constituent members sought solo success in the early 1980’s.

Buckingham’s first solo record, Law and Order was released in 1981. The album featured a collection of original tunes, with inspired covers thrown in for good measure. “Trouble” became a Top Ten hit for Buckingham. Go Insane, Buckingham’s follow-up saw the light of day in 1982. The album was hailed as an artistic triumph, and served as a sort of tribute to the late Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. “If Lindsey Buckingham really is following in the footsteps of his idol, Brian Wilson,” wrote Rolling Stone, “then Go Insane is his Pet Sounds.”

As producer for Fleetwood Mac’s reunion album Tango in The Night in 1987, Buckingham contributed the lion’s share of new material. While the album was the group’s best-selling album since Rumours, the reunion quickly soured and the group once again disbanded. Fleetwood Mac would not play together again until 1993 at the Inaugural Gala of President Bill Clinton. Prior to the one-off reunion of Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham released Out of the Cradle on which he performed every instrumental and vocal part on the record.

Once again joining Fleetwood Mac for their 1997 album The Dance, and subsequent tour, Buckingham found renewed interest in playing music with his bandmates. Buckingham was on hand when he and his Mac bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Fleetwood Mac’s Say You Will followed in April of 2003.