Mick Fleetwood was the first member of the band to hear a Buckingham-Nicks song and suggested they invite Lindsey Buckingham to be their new guitarist.

But Buckingham told the group that he and Nicks were a package deal. .

Nicks and Buckingham would official join the band on New Year’s Eve, a life-changing decision for the entire group.

Braving it all were McVie and Nicks, a unified feminine force in the face of rock’s overwhelmingly masculine energy of both the era and their very band.

“We were cool onstage,” Nicks recalled of the Rumours era break-ups in a joint interview with McVie in 2013

Nicks reiterated that that McVie was her best friend in a heartfelt, handwritten tribute following McVie’s sudden death this week

Over the years, Nicks has praised and celebrated what McVie was able to provide for her, especially during the band’s early days

Five years apart, McVie had a leg up on experience and wisdom that she readily gave to Nicks

While Fleetwood Mac’s story gave romantic turmoil for the ages, it gave us one true, great love story