The piano owned by Stevie Nicks that she used in the late ’70s and early ’80s to write “Songbird,” “Sara” and other Fleetwood Mac songs is up for auction. Via Billboard, the Hamilton Baby Grand Piano and its stool are on the block via auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll. It’s being sold by singer-songwriter Robbie Patton, who toured with Fleetwood Mac in 1979 and co-wrote the band’s hit “Hold Me.” You can bid online here.
Says Patton: “One day, I’m in the house of Stevie and she has two pianos, one of them was this black Grand Hamilton Piano where she wrote most of her songs on. She wrote everything on the piano, she really cherished it as her own,” adding, “Then in 1979 Fleetwood Mac took the piano on the road. Christine used it on tour. She played it all over, she even composed ‘Songbird’ from the album Rumours on this piano.”
Patton says Christine McVie played the piano on tour through 1982-1983 and it was then returned to Stevie’s home. As payment for a co-write, he asked for the piano, which she gave him. It then lived in his studio. “I used to work for all the big musicians, Elton John, for four and a half years. John Reid managed Elton John and then Queen,” Patton says. “Freddie Mercury even came by for a recording session and used the piano. Elton John used the piano. The people who have touched this piano are crazy!”
The piano has been refurbished and lacquered but the keys have never been changed. Patton, Nicks and the late Christine McVie all signed a letter of authenticity for it in 2015 which you can see, along with a picture of the piano, below.
