Ian Matthews 'Seven Bridges Road'

"Seven Bridges Road" written by country music singer and songwriter Steve Young and first appearing on his 1969 album, Rock Salt & Nails, was covered by Ian Matthews on his 1973 Electra album, Valley Hi, produced by Michael Nesmith. The arrangement for "Seven Bridges Road" was closely copied by the Eagles on their 1980 live album. Ian performs all the harmony vocals and Red Rhodes, one of the greatest steel guitar players, provides the steel guitar accompaniment. Valley Hi is available on CD together with his 1974 Elektra album, Some Days You Eat the Bear...Some Days the Bear Eats You, on the Water label. I do not own the right to the song, audio, or images contained in this video. The sound recording is administered by WMG. No copyright infringement is intended. This purpose of this upload is for viewer enjoyment and education not for monetary gain.

[rogerhwerner]

Educating people to the fact that some songs have a pedigree worth recalling and honoring. That's a worthy objective.

[lmt]

The best review of Valley Hi I ever read said that it was the album Don Henley and Glenn Frey wish they could've made. Listening to Iain's Seven Bridges Road is all the proof one needs. Haunting steel guitar, beautiful harmony, and great production al a Mike Nesmith.

[ricksundt]

Think I was 21 or 22 when I bought this album, then came Tigers will survive records first, then eight track then cassette, then cds, now streaming. Still listening to him. Fuck am I old!😂

[proud]

Valley Hi stands as one of the best country rock albums bridges road is the treasure hidden in the LP is a masterpiece by any point of view and is the meeting of a fabulous UK singer with Nesmith....hit by thunder and lightning they made a work of pure genius

[brendangilmore]

Ian Matthews is criminally underrated. His version of Woodstock made it his own :)

[TheDavidtk]

Beautiful version of a beautiful song!

[mireillelaurys]

Yes verry well good, thank you! GOD bless you!

[aliciajohnson]

I can NEVER forget the first time I heard this. Because at the same time I heard Norman Blake for the first time

[smokinmoose]

I love how you can hear the acoustic guitar reference track bleeding into the singers’ headphones behind the acappella parts. The joys of analog recording. I love Ian Matthews but Steve Young’s version has more soul than any other version ever recorded.

[michaelwesterland]

This is our American anthem, so beautiful.

[jameshopkinson]

You did Steve Young proud with this version.

[sailorgregor]

the definitive version for me ... the steel pedal is perfect

[michaelwesterland]

I am so glad, so proud, to hear this beautiful, best version again.

Thank you for the up, catman916.

I had the album once, traded it away, and some one of you guys has got it now, so good on you for having had the class and the chops to pick it up.

Best wishes to all here, my friends.

[annakimborahpa]

Ian really has an affinity for American folk music. It was probably for the best that he left Fairport Convention when he did because their American 'fever' was receding and their British folk roots 'germinating, ' particularly when Sandy Denny and later Dave Swarbrick joined up. If the Eagles ever play again, perhaps they could ask Ian to sing with them on this song.

[lylefales]

I met Ian back in the 70's and invited he and his wife out to dinner. They had other plans. But I had the album that this song appeared on, "In Search of Amelia Earhart" by his band Plainsong. It remains one of my favorite albums of all time. I saw the band in England in the early 70's and they were truly all that, but they never got a chance.

[HeartoftheDragonColo]

I love this version even more than the Eagles.

[MrPB]

Correction : song first appeared on Steve Young’s Rock salt& Nails LP in 1969 ! He re-recorded it twice on Seven Bridges Road LP in 1972 and in 1978 on No place to fall .
PS: I wouldn’t call Steve Young county artist (he never liked it to be framed in any form ) . He was just a SONGSTER or purveyor of what we call today AMERICANA .

[jimandlizhudson]

Check outthe Mother Earth version which, I believe, came before this one. Ian's version is also fabulous.

[randallscott]

I find the Eagles' rendition better because they're all singing together, plus it's one of the few times I've heard an artist or act preform live where they sound just as good on an album, although I like Ian Matthews' voice here

[lucillewagner]

Very good. Mathews Sothern Comfort, is very good also.an the drink aint bad either.