He was the quiet force behind one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

David Gilmour: a celebration of the solo years | Louder

David Gilmour, the legendary guitarist and vocalist of Pink Floyd, has always let his music speak louder than his words.

But at 79, in a rare and intimate moment of reflection, Gilmour opened up—not about guitars, not about fame—but about the five women in rock who he says “shaped his spirit and soothed his soul.”

And first on his list? The voice that could make the sky cry…

Joni Mitchell — “The Purest Expression of Feeling in Music”

Introducing Joni Mitchell

David Gilmour and Joni Mitchell may have traveled in different sonic lanes, but their mutual love of complexity and emotional depth unites them.

Gilmour described Joni as “a poet who just happens to play guitar like a genius.” “She doesn’t write songs.

She writes symphonies of the heart,” he said. “Her album ‘Blue’ is one of the most honest things ever recorded. It changed the way I thought about songwriting forever.”

Stevie Nicks — “Mystical, Magnetic, and Fearlessly Feminine”

Stevie Nicks, Feminist - Longreads

Gilmour praised Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks for her raw energy and haunting lyricism.

“Stevie is a spellcaster. Her voice is smoky velvet—she brings mystery to rock like no one else,” he said. “Even at her most broken, she’s powerful.”

He recalled listening to “Landslide” during long night drives while writing material for The Division Bell, calling it “the kind of song you don’t just hear—you live in it.”

Kate Bush — “The Inventor of Her Own Universe”

See Kate Bush's Magnetic 'Running Up That Hill' Performance in 1985

Kate Bush, known for her avant-garde style and soaring vocals, earned Gilmour’s admiration early on—not surprising, considering he helped launch her career by producing her demo and championing her to EMI.“Kate doesn’t follow rules—she builds worlds,” Gilmour said. “When I heard ‘Wuthering Heights’ for the first time, I knew music had just changed forever.”

Their creative bond has lasted decades, and Gilmour calls her “one of the bravest artists the UK has ever produced.”

Patti Smith — “Rock’s Poet Warrior”

Patti Smith: how she rocks our world | Patti Smith | The Guardian

When Gilmour speaks of Patti Smith, it’s with deep respect. “Patti writes with fire in her pen. She doesn’t perform—she proclaims,” he said. “She’s part punk, part priest, part prophet.”

He cited “Horses” as one of the greatest debut albums ever, saying it influenced the emotional vulnerability found in Pink Floyd’s later work.