Iain Matthews ( also popularly known as Ian Matthews ) has had a long singing career dating from the swinging 1960s, where he released material as the vocalist of Pyramid. He later joined Fairport Convention, formed and left Matthews' Southern Comfort, and went on to have a long and winding career, sailing through trends in rock, pop, country and folk with some chart success and maintaining a continuous cult following since his commercial peak in the late 1970s. After his stint in Fairport Convention, came the country-tinged Southern Comfort (1969) album , where Matthews recruited Richard Thompson, and other members of Fairport to collaborate. He secured a deal with MCA's Uni label and a touring lineup of Matthews' Southern Comfort released two more albums of material, Second Spring (1970), and Later That Same Year (1970). ...show more

Iain Matthews ( also popularly known as Ian Matthews ) has had a long singing career dating from the swinging 1960s, where he released material as the vocalist of Pyramid. He later joined Fairport Convention, formed and left Matthews' Southern Comfort, and went on to have a long and winding career, sailing through trends in rock, pop, country and folk with some chart success and maintaining a continuous cult following since his commercial peak in the late 1970s. After his stint in Fairport Convention, came the country-tinged Southern Comfort (1969) album , where Matthews recruited Richard Thompson, and other members of Fairport to collaborate. He secured a deal with MCA's Uni label and a touring lineup of Matthews' Southern Comfort released two more albums of material, Second Spring (1970), and Later That Same Year (1970).

Much like he had when Fairport had it's first success, Matthews walked away from the band just as fame became inevitable and Tops Of The Pops were calling. He went solo again releasing the self produced If You Could See Thro' My Eyes (1971)on Vertigo with a cast that included Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, Keith Tippet (King Crimson), Tim Renwick (Al Stewart), and other British performers, Matthews seemed, for a moment, to have found a comfortable balance of autonomy, support, creativity, and success. The follow-up for Vertigo, was Tigers Will Survive (1972), and then a new project Plainsong, who signed with Elektra[/label and released In Search of Amelia Earhart (1972). ex- Monkee Michael Nesmith produced the LP Valley Hi (1973), which featured a version of Steve Young's "Seven Bridges Road" so definitive that you can hear The Eagles recreate it note for note on their 1980 live album.

Matthews took over production again for Some Days You Eat the Bear and Some Days the Bear Eats You (1974), which featured LA session men like guitarists Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, on his way from Steely Dan to the Doobie Brothers, and David Lindley of Jackson Browne's band. That LP also featured a Tom Waits song called "ol 55" whom the Eagles also must've heard, as it showed up on one their next Elektra/Asylum releases. Matthews moved to CBS for Go For Broke (1976), and then Hit and Run (1977). Finally in Stealin' Home (1978) Matthews hit the US top ten with the single "Shake It". ...show less