Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar
For over a decade, Mekenzie Zimmerman lived a double life — mom by day, Stevie Nicks by night — as the founder and original lead singer of Rumours ATL, one of the biggest Fleetwood Mac tribute bands in the world.
What started as a dream in a Smyrna, Georgia basement grew into sold-out theaters, tour buses, backstage chaos, and the kind of behind-the-scenes drama you can’t make up.
In Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar, Mekenzie pulls back the curtain on the music, the memories, the heartbreak, and the lessons she never expected to learn. This is a raw, honest, often emotional audio memoir about identity, ambition, friendship, control, betrayal, and the long road to finding peace again.
If you love personal storytelling, music documentaries, or true stories told with heart, humor, and a little grit — you’re in the right place.
New episodes every Friday.
This is her story — in her words.
Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar
Episode 2: The First Show
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Eleven years ago, long before tour buses, sold-out theaters, and all the chaos that came later, there was a tiny Atlanta venue called The Star Bar — and one band dream just starting to take shape.
This episode goes back to where it all began: the very first Rumours ATL show. A night held together with equal parts nerves, thrift-store velvet, Craigslist gear, and the kind of naïve hope that only exists before you know what you’re getting into.
What makes this anniversary hit differently?
Not one of the current members stood on that stage that night. It was the original lineup — the very beginning of a band built from a Smyrna basement, a Craigslist ad, and a whole lot of heart.
In this episode, I revisit the cramped backstage, the shaky soundcheck, the feeling of stepping up to the mic for the very first time… and the spark that turned into an eleven-year journey I never could’ve predicted.
This isn’t just a nostalgia trip — it’s the blueprint of the dream.
And it all started here.
Episode 2 takes you into the nerves, the magic, and the absolute chaos of your first-ever show-- the adrenaline rush, the surprises, and the moment everything suddenly felt real. But we're also taking a detour into something extra special: my early collaborations with my friend Waylon.
Listen to Waylon's music here:
Song #1- Hard to Find https://youtu.be/ihp73GVWjVY?si=AKd-OrkKeZGwef-r
Song #2- Little Bird with Mekenzie Zimmerman https://youtu.be/Sr0XYX1o5qM?si=EaHSsbWUi1p9mio2
I'm so proud of the work we did together, and this episode finally gives it a proper spotlight.
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© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved.
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