Fairport Convention had more than its fair share of talented singer-songwriters – Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny for a start. Yet one ex-band member often criminally overlooked is Iain Matthews.

Fairport’s famous revolving door policy meant Matthews was only with them for about 20 minutes but his appealing tenor is one of the best things about their first two albums.

Since he quit in 1969, he’s had a convoluted career, pitching up here and there yet never finding the success his blend of English folk and US country deserves.

It’s a shame, really, because he was covering obscure singers like Texan Guy Clark 30 years before Robert Plant made it trendy. Which is why it’s great to see him back in the harness at The Greys, running through old favourites and previewing some sterling newer material.

Matthews is based in Holland these days and the immediate benefit of this is his sidekick, guitarist BJ Baartmans.

His wonderful work on mandolin and Fender Strat complemented Matthews’ acoustic playing perfectly.

Matthews’ stock in trade is an amiable melancholy, which worked superbly on Tom Waits’ Heart Of Saturday Night, Southern Winds and Road To Ronderlin and newer tracks such as Randolph Scott.

Andy Roberts, Matthews’ old mucker from 1970s band Plainsong, came up to play before the gig finished with Woodstock – the cover of Joni Mitchell’s classic, and Matthews’ only real hit.

Earlier, someone had shouted, “It’s good to see you”, to which Matthews replied, “It’s good to be seen”. This talented yet modest performer deserves to be seen by more people.