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Iain Matthews(Ian Matthew MacDonald) English folk rock musician (Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort).
Date of Birth: 16.06.1946
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Ian Matthews
- Fairport Convention and Solo Career
- 'In Search of Amelia Earhart' and Later Career
- Later Years and Current Endeavors
Biography of Ian Matthews
Iain Matthew McDonald, known professionally as Ian Matthews, is an English folk-rock musician who was a member of Fairport Convention and Matthews Southern Comfort. He was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. In the mid-1960s, during the British pop boom, Matthews performed with various small bands. In 1966, he moved to London and worked in a shoe shop on Carnaby Street. That same year, Matthews formed the trio 'The Piramid' and released a single called 'Summer Of Last Year' under the label 'Deram Records' in January 1967. He later released another composition from this period titled 'Me About You'.
Fairport Convention and Solo Career
In the spring of 1967, Matthews was hired by Ashley Hutchings and became the vocalist for Fairport Convention. It was during his time with the band that he met Judy Dyble and Sandy Denny. In 1969, Fairport Convention achieved notable success in the British folk scene, but Matthews was gradually phased out of the group. However, this did not discourage him, as he had already been contemplating his own project. Together with his colleagues from Fairport Convention, Matthews recorded his first solo album, 'Matthews' Southern Comfort', which showcased strong influences of American country and rockabilly. Matthews began to establish himself as a songwriter during the recording of this album, which also featured covers of songs by Neil Young and Ian and Sylvia Tyson.
Matthews went through several lineup changes in his group and had a successful two-year touring period. One of the group's recordings, a cover version of Joni Mitchell's 'Woodstock', achieved commercial success. After releasing two albums, Matthews reorganized his band and formed a new collective called 'Plainsong'.
'In Search of Amelia Earhart' and Later Career
Signing a contract with 'Elektra Records', Matthews recorded a new album titled 'In Search of Amelia Earhart', which solidified his reputation as an exceptional poet-songwriter. Unfortunately, due to alcohol-related issues faced by one of the band members, 'Plainsong' disbanded. Matthews went on to record several albums with different rock groups but did not achieve significant success. He moved from 'Elektra' to 'Columbia Records' and then to 'Rockburgh'. It was with the help of this relatively small label that Matthews managed to release a new successful single called 'Shake It', although a copyright dispute hindered its promotion.
Later Years and Current Endeavors
For the next 15 years, Matthews faced a series of setbacks, but with the support of fellow musicians and loyal fans, he persisted. He relocated from Los Angeles to the more affordable Seattle and continued to create music. In the mid-1980s, former members of Fairport Convention considered forming a new group and invited Matthews to join. In 1988, they released the unique album 'Walking a Changing Line'. Afterward, Matthews moved to Austin, Texas, where he recorded several more albums and began performing independently without temporary backing groups.
In the following years, Matthews continued to perform with varying success and released new records through various small labels in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 2000, he relocated to Amsterdam, where he currently resides.
