News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - The Express

The Soundtrack to My Life

POSTED:Tue, May 20, 2008 @ 3:15PM

Print | Email | Read comments | Post a comment

Backstage With Stevie Nicks

Blog Links

» Emotional 1998 performance of "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" » 1983 Interview » 2007 Nicks on CBS Sunday Morning

When I think back on it now, it feels like a dream; fragmented and somewhat blurry images pieced together to shape an unforgettable evening. A few weeks ago I traveled two hours to meet one of my great friends, Gail, so that we could attend a Stevie Nicks concert together.

We met a year ago after seeing Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham in concert. We both conversed that night on a busy sidewalk of crew members and fans, waiting for an image of our guitar-god-hero, Buckingham, to make his exit. We never did get to meet Buckingham that night (wrong door), but what we did gain was a close friendship.

I packed my bags that beautiful sunny morning and took off in my car on a journey to Gail’s house on the open road. I excitedly rolled my windows down to let the scent of newly opened flowers and fresh cut grass fill my car with the sweet aroma of spring. With the stereo blaring loudly, I listened to Nicks sing her hopeful lyrics and haunting melodies and I knew something magical was going to happen that evening.

With Nicks’ impending 60^th birthday only weeks away, I had purchased a card for her. It had a picture of a woman with beautiful rainbow-colored wings and a crystal crown, holding hands with four children in a circle, surrounded by greenery in an enchanted forest. The inside of the card told the birthday girl to have the imagination of a child and to have a “beautiful, magical birthday.” It not only reminded us of Fleetwood Mac’s “Gypsy” music video, but it also alluded to Nicks’ own ability to channel that child-like innocence that she does so very well, through her image, lyrics, and music. We included a short note thanking Nicks for her hopeful lyrics, explaining how her words have helped us in “our darkest hour.”

Before we knew it, the doors were open, and we were walking through the upper level of the arena. We ran into Chris, whom we had befriended earlier outside, and he kindly took our tickets and led us to a special entrance to get downstairs. Because Gail is in a wheelchair, we had to take an elevator so that we could reach our seats on the floor level. Chris and another security guard escorted us in the elevator and through an empty hallway.

As I looked around, I found it strange that the hallway was so empty. There were two doorways on my right that led to a game lounge and another that had a couch and television. To my left was a short hallway that led to a doorway that had a security guard standing in it. As we got closer to the end of the hallway a man and woman started to walk towards us. It finally hit me – we were in the hallway that led backstage and the man and woman that we had just passed was Nicks’ guitar player, Carlos Rios, and one of her three back-up singers, Jana Anderson.

We walked through double doors that led us to a VIP lounge area. We weren’t sure how we were going to get Nicks her birthday card, so we asked the security guard at the door if he could get it to her. He kindly took it from us and handed it to the stage manager, who said he would try to get it to her before the show. We were both excited that Nicks would most likely see our card and were very thankful of the nice security guard that helped us achieve our goal.

For those of you who haven’t seen Nicks on one of her solo tours, after she does her hit song “Edge of Seventeen,” she walks from one side of the stage to the other, making personal connections with her fans through touch by shaking hands and taking flowers, letters and gifts from her many adoring fans.

Gail and I unexpectedly had been moved to seats in the first row and I was quick to stand, resting my chin and hands on the stage, as I waited for Nicks to make her way through all the people. I had done this a few times at previous shows but because of all the people, or trying to hand something to her, I never got a full handshake. This time, my hands were empty, and when Nicks reached me, her gloved hand met mine and I finally got the handshake that I had been waiting ten years for.

The show ended and Gail and I flew through the crowd where we met our security guard friend, who opened those magical doors and escorted us down the hallway to the elevator. Once we reached the short hallway we both stopped and tried to look through the doorway. Gail swore to me that she “saw something” and started to wheel over to the door. Within seconds a swirl of chiffon and long blonde hair was coming toward the doorway.

My emotions immediately took rein over me and I yelled, “Stevie!” She came running toward us with her arms extended. She told Gail that she’d seen her during the show, but couldn’t get to her. At this point, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe that the woman that I had looked up to and admired for over ten years was standing right in front of me. The voice that I listened to over and over again through my television and stereo was speaking directly to me!

She took our hands in hers as we told her how much her lyrics have helped us deal with life’s ups and downs. Her dark eyes met mine as I poured my heart out to her, thanking her for always being there for us through her music. She asked us our names and reached out to give Gail a hug. When she embraced me I couldn’t help but feel how soft the velvet was on her black “Beauty and the Beast” cape, which she had on from her last encore performance. Before we knew it, Nicks was whisked off to her limo and we were forced to awaken from our dream and walk to the elevator.

I’ll never forget Nicks’ kindness in stopping to take a minute of her time to listen to us and give us a hug. The softness of her hand and her warm embrace will stay ingrained in my memory along with her poetic, healing words and haunting melodies.

Nicks sprinkled her magic on us that night with her ability to connect with her fans through her music and touch. I now truly believe that anything is possible – my dream of meeting Nicks and thanking her for all that she has given me came true. The image of her white chiffon dress, black cape, and long blonde hair sashaying as she came toward us will forever stay frozen in my mind.