Over the years, there have been countless attempts to cover Fleetwood Mac’s iconic Rumours era songs. Most are forgettable. Some are just plain bad.
But back in 2007, at the Fashion Rocks awards, something unexpected happened. A young Carrie Underwood—just two years removed from winning American Idol—walked onto the stage to perform one of the most famous rock songs of all time. And standing next to her, guitar in hand, was the man who wrote it: Lindsey Buckingham.
What followed was one of the best Fleetwood Mac covers you will ever hear.
The Song: “Go Your Own Way”
Released in 1976 on the legendary Rumours album, “Go Your Own Way” is pure rock fury wrapped in a catchy chorus. Lindsey Buckingham wrote it as a bitter, heart-on-sleeve breakup song directed at his bandmate and former lover, Stevie Nicks.
The lyrics are brutally honest: “Loving you isn’t the right thing to do.” Nicks reportedly hated the song at first—but it became one of Fleetwood Mac’s defining anthems.
The Performance: A Perfect Pairing
So why did this 2007 cover work so well?
https://youtu.be/faFcpyJl6M4?list=RDfaFcpyJl6M4
First, the obvious: Carrie Underwood has powerhouse vocals. She didn’t try to mimic Stevie Nicks’ ethereal, raspy style. Instead, she made the song her own—clean, strong, and emotionally charged.
Second, the secret weapon: Lindsey Buckingham himself on guitar. There is no substitute for the original architect of a song. When Buckingham’s signature fingerpicking style kicked in, the audience erupted. It wasn’t a tribute band imitation—it was the real deal.
Third, the chemistry: Underwood started singing alone on stage. Then, she introduced Buckingham, and the crowd went wild. Seeing a young country-pop star share the stage with a rock legend, feeding off each other’s energy, turned a simple awards show performance into a historic moment.
Why It Still Matters
Nearly two decades later, fans still talk about this duet. It worked because it respected the original while taking a risk. Underwood didn’t play it safe with a slow, acoustic cover. She went straight for the explosive, driving heart of the song—with the man who wrote it pushing her forward.
If you’ve never seen it, do yourself a favor and find the video. You’ll witness a country superstar and a rock legend creating something truly special.
Fun fact for the purists: Some fans online have debated whether Buckingham should perform “Go Your Own Way” with anyone other than Fleetwood Mac. But even the critics can’t deny that this 2007 performance was electric.