Iain Matthews at Mcgonigel's Mucky Duck

There’s a purity about Iain Matthews’ voice and it’s mirrored by the integrity of his career.The singer-songwriter has never been seduced by fame. His focus has always been on creating music that captivates the ear, the mind and the heart. A recognized pioneering member of the global music community since the mid sixties, Iain Matthews is still out there reinventing himself to great effect. You may know him from his chart single success with the Joni Mitchell song “ Woodstock” in 1970, or a top ten hit with “ Shake it” in 1978. He’s singing and writing better than ever before and does not rely on past successes to propel him forward...

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There’s a purity about Iain Matthews’ voice and it’s mirrored by the integrity of his career.The singer-songwriter has never been seduced by fame. His focus has always been on creating music that captivates the ear, the mind and the heart. A recognized pioneering member of the global music community since the mid sixties, Iain Matthews is still out there reinventing himself to great effect. You may know him from his chart single success with the Joni Mitchell song “ Woodstock” in 1970, or a top ten hit with “ Shake it” in 1978. He’s singing and writing better than ever before and does not rely on past successes to propel him forward. On the contrary, he continues to push the muse to its limits. His recent solo recordings and concerts are proof positive. Born Iain Matthew McDonald, June 16, 1946, in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, he soared to prominence in 1967, as a founding member of Fairport Convention. In that pioneering band, Matthews (then known as Ian McDonald) created exquisite harmonies with first Judy Dyble, then Sandy Denny. After two years, he left and formed Matthews Southern Comfort. They enjoyed a huge hit with their stirring version of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock.” One of the outstanding solo albums Matthews recorded during his years in Los Angeles was 1973’s “Valley Hi,” produced by Michael Nesmith. Matthews has fronted such bands as Plainsong, Hi-Fi, No Grey Faith, Hamilton Pool, More Than a Song and a Dutch jazz combo, The Searing Quartet. After working for a while in A&R, in 1987 Matthews returned to performing and recording. With his various groups or solo, Matthews is renowned for his mesmerizing concerts.

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