• Tell me a little about your history, like where you grew up, how you got into performing / singing.
'm a California native, born in a little town in Northern California called Vallejo. I came from a musical family - my mother was an avid piano player, and my father was a choir director and radio deejay. Unfortunately, my parents divorced by the time I was three years old. I was told that I hummed songs before I could speak - perhaps because it was comforting to me to connect with the music that had surrounded me.

Here's lookin' at you

During my grammar school years I attempted to play the clarinet, violin and cello. Much to my dismay, I was horrible at each of them. In the 5th grade, I entered our annual school talent show with my neighbor. We chose, "High Hopes", dressed in hillbilly denim, played ukulele’s and sang our hearts out, and we were awarded 2nd place.

I believe that the first time I realized that I could carry a tune was at the age of 12. I was in my bedroom playing my usual weekly line up of top forty hits and the next in line was Gladys Knight's, "If I Were Your Woman". I sang with her word for word, note for note and to my amazement, I thought it was pretty good. At the age of 16, while in high school, my boyfriend would hear me sing along with music we listened to. One afternoon on his way to pick me up from school, he was listening to the radio and heard about an open audition in Oakland’s Jack London Square for a local nightclub performer looking for a back-up singer. He convinced me to go in for the audition. I was scared and unprepared, but to my surprise, I got the job - $25 every weekend performing 2 shows nightly on Friday & Saturday with the legendary Coke Escovedo.

One night my mother received a phone call from her cousin, Sly Stone (of "Sly and the Family Stone" fame) requesting family participation to sing on his album. He asked that I sing backup on a couple of songs, and I went to the studio the next day. He asked me to return for more recording, and a conflict with my work schedule with Coke Escovedo ended up with me leaving Coke and going to work with Sly. Once the album was completed, we went on a three-week tour opening for Parliament Funkadelic and Bootsy’s Rubber Band, under the direction of George Clinton. Shortly after that tour, George Clinton hired me, and my career took off from there.

• How did you first meet Stevie?
was on tour singing with George Michael in Germany in 1988. Our group and Fleetwood Mac were staying at the Hamburg Kempinski Hotel, and as fate would have it, we met in the lounge.

It was an honor to meet the group, but it was really special meeting Stevie. Her warmth and generosity was overwhelming. It's funny, but during our talk, I thought that it would be great to one day sing with her. She was always one of my favorites.

• Confirm what tour(s) and recording(s) with Stevie and/or Fleetwood Mac you were on.
s far as work with Stevie, I did the “Time Space” tour in 1991. With Fleetwood Mac, I performed on the “Behind the Mask” tour in 1990.

Lynn with Stevie's band - Time Space tour

• What song do you like performing with Stevie the most and why?

ne song I always enjoyed performing was “Stand Back” - this was a favorite of mine because Stevie sang with such passion and conviction. She danced on this song more than on any of them, and the music was full of excitement and power. Sharon and I really enjoyed singing and dancing on this one with her as well. It was also a favorite of my daughter, Akasha, and Stevie gave Akasha one of the original shawls she wore in the video.

“Landslide” was another favorite because of the emotion that emanated from her very soul. I believe that Stevie is one of the best examples of singing with emotion. Her approach to each song makes you feel as if you were right there with her, and she never sings the same way twice. For me, every night was a new adventure and an unforgettable experience.