Buckingham Nicks – Buckingham Nicks (Baby Blue Vinyl)

Released on September 5, 1973, BUCKINGHAM NICKS quickly faded from commercial view but never disappeared from the cultural conversation. Recorded at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles and produced by Keith Olsen, the album introduced Nicks and Buckingham’s tightly wound harmonies and sharply contrasting songwriting voices across 10 tracks—ranging from the folk-rock shimmer of “Crystal” to the sunbaked strut of “Don’t Let Me Down Again.”

Its legend only grew with time. In late 1974, Mick Fleetwood visited Sound City while scouting studios to record Fleetwood Mac’s next album. To showcase both his production work and the studio’s sound, Olsen blasted “Frozen Love” for Fleetwood in Studio A. The song reflected the full scope of the album’s ambition and chemistry—and immediately caught the drummer’s attention.

Soon after, when Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Welch left the band, Fleetwood reached out to offer Buckingham the spot. Instead of agreeing, Buckingham insisted that he and Nicks were a package deal. Fleetwood agreed, and on New Year’s Eve 1974, the two officially joined Fleetwood Mac — launching one of the most celebrated chapters in the band’s history.

Though their work with Fleetwood Mac would eclipse it commercially, BUCKINGHAM NICKS endures as a testament to what came just before: a partnership in full creative bloom.