Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s contributor network
Stevie Nicks just spoke candidly about a major decision she made in the late ’70s — one that she says would have greatly affected her band, Fleetwood Mac.
In an interview on CBS News Sunday Morning On October 27, Nicks opened up about her difficult decision to have an abortion in 1979, expressing that if she had chosen differently, it could have been a disaster for the group. The legendary singer opened up about her relationship with Eagles frontman Don Henley, revealing she was shocked to find herself pregnant despite taking precautions, including using an IUD.
“I got pregnant and I said to myself: ‘Why? I have an IUD. I’m totally protected,'” recalls the 76-year-old, noting that the group was already in full swing and preparing for its third album to the label. time. “Fleetwood Mac has been around for three years, and it’s big,” the “Go Your Own Way” singer said, declaring that “It would have destroyed Fleetwood Mac.” She recognized the pressure an unexpected child would have placed on the band, especially after her breakup with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham a few years earlier. “That would have been a nightmare scenario for me to live through,” she admitted.
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
Fans flocked to the comments of a video shared on YouTube to show their support for the rockstar, with many taking inspiration from Nick’s open-mindedness and courage. “He’s a national treasure. Thanks for speaking the truth Stevie,” one fan said. Another commented: “It’s always very brave to share these personal stories. We shouldn’t have to. But it’s so important that we do.”
Nicks has previously mentioned how her abortion influenced the band’s music, particularly the 1979 song “Sara.” In a 2014 interview with Billboardthe Grammy winner said: “If I had married Don and had this baby…I would have named her Sara.” The Eagle frontman himself revealed the news of Nick’s pregnancy to the public, according to his interview with rolling stone which was released on October 24.
Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975, contributing to notable albums like Rumors and Tusk. She had an on-off romantic relationship with Buckingham, which began before she joined the group and continued throughout their rise to fame. After their breakup a few years later, Nicks dated Henley, with whom she had a brief relationship in the late 1970s. In 1983, she married Kim Anderson, widow of her close friend, Robin Anderson. Nicks married him shortly after Robin’s death, thinking it was a way to support Kim during a difficult time. However, their marriage only lasted three months as Nicks later realized it wasn’t the right decision for her. Nicks has no children.
