> Sandy Denny > Songs > Fairport Convention: Reno, Nevada

MP3 sound sampleFairport Convention: Reno, Nevada

[Ian Matthews]

This song was a central part of the early Fairport repertoire but was never recorded for one of their albums - this was done in 1971 by Ian (or Iain, as he later became known) Matthews on If You Saw Thro' My Eyes. Even before A Sailor's Life, this is one of the great Fairport examples of brilliant instrumental improvisation.

However, Fairport performed Reno, Nevada in several TV and radio sessions:
  1. on Bouton Rouge, French TV on April 27, 1968, still with Judy Dyble who left Fairport shortly after. This recording was available on the bootleg A Chronicle of Sorts and finally officiall released in 2002 on the Fairport unConventioNal 4CD set and in 2003 on the CD reissue of Fairport's self-titled first album, Fairport Convention.
  2. on the Stuart Henry Show on December 2, 1968. This recording is not available.
  3. on December 27, 1968 in BBC Studio 4, Maida Vale, for the David Symonds Show which was broadcast on January 10, 1969 with a repeat on January 24, 1969. It was produced by Keith Stewart. Ian Matthews and Sandy share the vocals with Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol on electric guitar, Ashley Hutchigs on bass and Martin Lamble on drums. The track was released on the Heyday cassette and CDs.

There is another live version of Reno, Nevada by Ian Matthews on the charity compilation Circle Dance. Fairport has played it every time Ian has appeared at Cropredy, too, e.g. on the 1986 The Other Boot.

Lyrics

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