Iain Matthews is an English musician and singer-songwriter. He was an original member of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention from 1967 to 1969 before leaving to form his own band, Matthews Southern Comfort, which had a UK number one in 1970 with their cover of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock". In 1979, his recording of Terence Boylan's "Shake It" reached No. 13 on the US charts.
Iain Matthews
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater. They started out influenced by American folk rock, with a set list dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname "the British Jefferson Airplane". Vocalists Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews joined them before the recording of their self-titled debut in 1968; afterwards, Dyble was replaced by Sandy Denny, with Matthews later leaving during the recording of their third album.
Fairport Convention performing in 2023
Fairport Convention, Kralingen 1970. Left to right: Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks, Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick, Simon Nicol.
Fairport Convention "Nine" line-up, reunited on stage at Cropredy 1982
Simon Nicol and Ric Sanders of Fairport Convention on stage at Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2005
