Nicks was so smitten that she even considered leaving Fleetwood Mac and joining the Heartbreakers, but she ended up doing the next best thing by having Petty’s longtime producer Jimmy Iovine produce her first solo record. However, when she suggested the Heartbreakers work with her on the song “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” something came to life as soon as Mike Campbell joined.

While Campbell was never the most flashy guitarist, he always tried to find what was right for the song. It’s clear that he can play on heavier cuts like “Too Much Ain’t Enough” or the freakout solo on later cuts like “Room At the Top,” but he’s perhaps the quietest guitar hero this side of George Harrison, choosing to play only when the time calls for it.

And that’s without even getting into his slide playing. Performing with everyone from Petty to Don Henley to unusual artists like Bad Religion, Campbell is never afraid to dive into a song and see where it goes. He usually uses his slide as a sort of emotional translator when he picks up the guitar.

Working on Nick’s song ‘Whole Lotta Trouble’ by The other side of the mirror, However, Nicks was impressed by how well he understood what she was trying to do, saying, “He could play his song while I was playing rock’n’roll guitar… I was totally flattered. On the other hand, he’s the only person in my entire life who has ever played one of my songs exactly the way I wrote it.”

At the same time, Nicks may have found it refreshing not to have to listen to other people trying to work out songs for her. Working with Lindsey Buckingham was always an uphill battle when it came to getting each song just right, so having someone who could hear the melody for what it is and play along perfectly was not a bad thing for her.

Campbell may be the unofficial master of the sideman role. He doesn’t like to try and show off like guitarists before him, but his true art lies in listening to a song and responding perfectly to what the artist is looking for.

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