GROWING BOLDER WITH

GROWING BOLDER WITH

Lindsey Buckingham

72

Lindsey Buckingham is back, well sort of. He is still persona non grata in Fleetwood Mac. His love-hate relationship with Stevie Nicks seems to be stuck in hate, so at least for the time being, Buckingham, 72, is touring behind his latest solo release simply titled, Lindsey Buckingham. What you may not realize is how close we all came to losing him altogether. “I’m fortunate to be alive,” Buckingham said.

In early 2019 Buckingham, named by Rolling Stone as one of the Greatest Guitarists of All time had to undergo emergency open heart surgery. As if that was not bad enough, there was a complication. “I guess someone was a little overzealous in putting a breathing tube down my throat,” he explained. “I could not sing, could barely speak and the doctor could not guarantee that my voice was ever going to come back.”

All in a matter of weeks, Buckingham was told his voice may be permanently damaged, he had bypass surgery and he was kicked out of Fleetwood Mac. He could have gone to a dark place, but he did not.

“Well, I mean, you have to take everything with a sense of humor,” said Buckingham. “All of the stuff that we've all been through for so many years has really toughened me up. So, I never lost my faith that everything was going to come back around."

He has many reasons for optimism: his voice is back, ticket sales are strong and he still hopes one day to be invited back to Fleetwood Mac. As the youngest member of the group, he knows time is running out. Christine McVie is the oldest member at 78.

Buckingham’s wish is for the band to get back together for one final tour while they are healthy enough to thank their fans and honor their legacy. As for aging, he believes creativity is the key to living life to the fullest. "It is just so important to stay connected to your feelings and to things you care about deeply,” he said. “You have to continue to take risks, and to seek things that are outside of your comfort zone. I believe that is what helps keep age as just a number and not a defining factor.”