He is frequently listed as one of the top fingerstyle guitarists by Guitar Player Magazine readers' polls, but he is equally at home on electric guitar. Keaggy is noted for crowd-pleasing solo live performances where he makes extensive use of recording live layers of loops to accompany himself. To do this he uses only an acoustic guitar but is able to create electric sounds.
Keaggy began performing professionally in the late 60s with drummer John Sferra. The two friends, with the addition of bassist Dan Pecchio, formed Glass Harp in 1968.
A major turning point for the trio was winning an Ohio area's "Battle of the Bands." One of event's judges happened to be an associate of the celebrated producer Lewis Merenstein, who was alerted about the hot young threesome. At the time, Merenstein was fresh from producing albums for many successful artists including The Spencer Davis Group, Turley Richards and Van Morrison's Moondance (Merenstein produced Astral Weeks as well) and had just been voted Producer of the Year by Rolling Stone. Merenstein was persuaded to fly down from New York to see what the fuss was all about.
Upon hearing the band perform, Merenstein was so inspired that Decca Records signed Glass Harp to a multi-record deal. A short time later, the band found itself in New York's Greenwich Village recording its first album at Jimi Hendrix' Electric Ladyland Studio with Lewis Merenstein as producer.
As a Decca Records artist, the band began to open for such artists as Iron Butterfly, Yes, Traffic, and Chicago.[1] At one point, future James Gang guitarist Joe Walsh was being considered to join New Hudson Exit (the band Phil Keaggy was in prior to the formation of Glass Harp) but the other members of the band felt Walsh's style was too dynamic.
Years later, Amboy Dukes guitar player Ted Nugent was quoted as saying "I don't know what happened to that Phil Keaggy, he could have saved the world with his guitar" in Guitar Player Magazine.
On Valentine's Day in 1970, Keaggy's mother was involved in a fatal car accident. He was heavily involved in drugs at the time, and that same day was badly hurt by an LSD trip. In the midst of this tragedy his sister Ellen took the time to tell him about finding peace in Jesus, and he converted to Christianity.
Keaggy left Glass Harp in 1972 and released his first solo album the following year entitled What a Day. Keaggy married his wife Bernadette the following summer. He then took a brief vacation from recording on his own and only toured in support of other artists like Love Song, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Paul Clark, and Nancy Honeytree. Keaggy returned to the studio in 1976 with Love Broke Thru which included his version of the Randy Stonehill/Keith Green/Todd Fishkind classic song of the same name, which at Keith Green's insistence was the first released recording of the song. During the summer of 1977 Keaggy went on an eighteen-city tour of the western United States with 2nd Chapter of Acts and "a band called David". This was captured in the live triple album How the West Was One. The only release of the Phil Keaggy Band also occurred in 1977, Emerging. The Phil Keaggy Band consisted of Keaggy, Lynn Nichols, Phil Madeira, Dan Cunningham and Terry Andersen. In 1978, Keaggy released his first critically acclaimed instrumental album entitled The Master and the Musician.
The Keaggy family then moved to Leawood, Kansas in August,1979. Their first daughter, Alicia, was born there in March, 1980. The Keaggys left Leawood in 1983 and settled in Costa Mesa, California. Their second daughter, Olivia, was born on Valentine's Day, 1984, and their son, Ian, was born in 1987.
Keaggy was signed to the Contemporary Christian music label Sparrow Records in the 1980s, where he released a string of albums including Town to Town, Ph'lip Side, and Play Thru Me. In 1988, Keaggy would team up with Stonehill, drummer Joe English (who had previously played with Paul McCartney and Wings) , singer Margaret Becker, and others for the Compassion All Star Band's album One by One.
In 1988, Keaggy won his first Dove Award for his second instrumental project, The Wind and the Wheat. Keaggy's second Dove Award came in 1992 for his Celtic-influenced Beyond Nature. From 1998 to 2001, Keaggy dominated the "Instrumental Record" category in the Dove Awards winning awards for Invention, Acoustic Sketches, Majesty and Wonder, and Lights of Madrid.
In 1989, Keaggy teamed up with Randy Stonehill, Russ Taff, Derri Daugherty, Mark Heard, Steve Taylor, Rick Cua and other musicians to create Phil Keaggy and Sunday's Child: a tribute of sorts to 1960s bands like The Beatles. That same year, Keaggy would hit the road with Stonehill for a tour by The Keaggy/Stonehill Band, which included Swirling Eddie David Raven on drums and Daniel Amos bassist Tim Chandler. In the fall of 1989 the Keaggys relocated once again, leaving the sunny shores and crowded freeways of southern California behind and moved to Nashville, Tennessee where they reside currently. A few years later, Keaggy would perform at former Beatle Paul McCartney's sister-in-law's wedding. Keaggy had met Laura Eastman, sister of Linda McCartney, while the former worked at CBN. After the wedding, Keaggy fulfilled a lifelong dream by jamming with McCartney in a bedroom at the Eastman family estate, site of the wedding.
Keaggy followed Sunday's Child in 1990 with all-out rock album Find Me In These Fields and in 1993 with Crimson and Blue, a bluesy rock album that included a cover of Van Morrison's "When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God". That album was also remixed and reissued as Blue, with the added Badfinger cover "Baby Blue". Once again, an impressive list of musicians joined Keaggy for these releases, including Steve Taylor, Rick Cua, Phil Madeira, Charlie Peacock, Sam Bush, John Mark Painter of Fleming and John, Ashley Cleveland, Jimmy Abegg, and fellow 1970s Keaggy Band members Lynn Nichols and Phil Madeira. Keaggy enlisted his old friend John Sferra of Glass Harp for the tour that followed. (The tour also featured Wade Jaynes from Chagall Guevara on bass and Phil Madeira on Hammond B-3 organ.)
In September, Glass Harp found itself in New York's Greenwich Village recording its first album Glass Harp at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios with Lewis Merenstein as producer. Years later, a story would circulate widely and persistently concerning Keaggy and Hendrix. It has been said that during an episode of The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked Hendrix, "Who is the best guitarist in the world?" Hendrix is said to have answered, "Phil Keaggy." Another version of the story has Hendrix being asked, "Jimi, how does it feel to be the world's greatest guitar player?" To which Hendrix supposedly replied, "I don't know, you'll have to ask Phil Keaggy!" This account is sometimes attributed to a magazine interview in either Rolling Stone or Guitar Player. Occasionally the story has the setting for the question being the Dick Cavett Show. Other versions have the question being posed to Eric Clapton. A more recent variant has Eddie Van Halen being asked the question by either David Letterman or Barbara Walters. Keaggy has long insisted that such stories are completely unfounded, noting that "it was impossible that Jimi Hendrix could ever have heard me...We...recorded our first album at Electric Lady Studios two weeks after his unfortunate death, so I just can’t imagine how he could’ve heard me. I think it’s just a rumor that someone’s kept alive, and it must be titillating enough to keep an interest there...So I don’t think it was said…and that’s it for that!"
Glass Harp reformed around 2001 and released a new album titled "Hourglass" in 2003.
In 2004, Keaggy guest performed with the indie band Dispatch for several songs during The Last Dispatch. It was to be Dispatch's last performance together and became the largest concert in independent music history.[citation needed]
As of 2009, Keaggy continues to record and tour regularly.
Real Life
Phil Keaggy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had a dream I was running
Towards Your mountain.
Real life, this is real life.
And in my dream I wasn't alone.
Real life, this is real life.
Hundreds and thousands dressed in white.
Say You will come and I'll be waiting for You.
Washed in the blood of the lamb........
May you be strong
And always believing what's true.
Come away with me into the everlasting light,
I do believe in you
Now I do believe, I believe
Real life, this is real life.
The lyrics of Phil Keaggy's song Real Life narrate a dream he had wherein he was running towards a mountain, which is symbolically used as a representation of God. In this dream, he wasn't alone but was accompanied by hundreds and thousands of people dressed in white. The white attire symbolizes purity and righteousness, which showcases his belief in God along with the acceptance of his holy teachings. He states that he believes in God and also mentions that he is waiting for him to come back. This could be interpreted as expressing the hope that someday God will come back to take the righteous with him.
The line 'Washed in the blood of the lamb' refers to the belief in the Christian faith that the blood of Jesus Christ washes away the sins of people, making them pure and righteous. The entire song talks about how important it is to stay true to one's beliefs and to live with the conviction that God is real and powerful. Phil Keaggy urges his listeners to always believe in the goodness of the world and the existence of God.
Overall, Real Life is a song that showcases the strength and conviction of a person's faith in God. Phil Keaggy uses his lyrics to inspire his listeners to stay true to their beliefs and embrace the purity of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a dream I was running
I had a vision of myself running towards the mountain of God
Towards Your mountain.
Towards the Holy Mountain of God
Real life, this is real life.
This is not a dream, this is reality
And in my dream I wasn't alone.
In my vision, I was accompanied by other believers
Real life, this is real life.
This is not a fantasy, it is genuine existence
Hundreds and thousands dressed in white.
Innumerable people dressed in pure white attire
I believe in You.
I hold a great conviction in my heart that You exist
Say You will come and I'll be waiting for You.
If You confirm You are coming, I will desperately wait for You
Washed in the blood of the lamb........
Cleansed by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross
May you be strong
I pray that you would be strengthened
And always believing what's true.
And remain steadfast in what is trustworthy and correct
Come away with me into the everlasting light,
Join me in moving towards eternity's luminosity
I do believe in you
I have sincere faith in you
Now I do believe, I believe
I have been affirmed and now possess an unwavering conviction
Real life, this is real life.
This is the truth, this is real life
Contributed by Jeremiah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@chiptrimble
Lee, your 'love breaking through' for Phil Keaggy, and introducing him perhaps to many on your channel here is a very honorable and beautiful thing.
I watched Phil playing his first album as a believer: What A Day, while visiting the Jesus/hippie- style commune at "Love Inn" outside Ithaca, NY in the early 70's.
I've listened to all of his early work albums so many times that i missed entire decades of secular music in the 90's!
A relatively obscure album, with beyond gifted artists titled 'Emerging', MUST BE LISTENED to as the common shaking of the head under the brilliance happens each time in the hearing! Master and the Musician, another of Phils Masterpieces is smother not to be missed.
I'm grateful for YOUR catalog and like others, would be grateful to hear more of your astonishment with the myriad of players you've been gifted to play with over the decades! Respect.
I do pray, that you were in conversions with Phil and have discovered NOT any 'religion", but the true Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the separating sin of the world.
Phils love for Christ is evident to all who know or have heard him.
Thanks again Lee! Great hearing of your love for Matthew Ward, Annie and Buck, and Phil!
2nd Chapped of Acts vocal harmonies are atmospheric and angelic! Not to be missed...
@binsinc
It seems like yesterday (actually early 70,s ) seeing the Glass Harp perform at a local high school.
Phil’s playing and singing was so perfect in that band.
A few years later (1973) Phil approached me while
I was demonstrating a Lowery organ in the center of a local
shopping mall. The organs volume pedal allowed me to bend
notes down a half step by sliding my foot to the left.It must of
caught the attention of Phil,s tuneful ear.
Phil came over and stood a few feet away staring at me an
inquisitive look of amazement. When I finished playing we had a
short conversation when explaining about the foot pedal technique.
Still one of my fav musicians.
Children’s Fantasy
@timzier9016
I got born-again in 1976. When I heard music like this I was so on fire! This stuff is real. Jesus is the Real Deal. Thank you SO much for sharing!
@KarenGillespie-ul1ol
So did my husband!
@strong_voice_of_truth
Praise God! As it's winding down, I look forward to meeting you in heaven at His feet. God is good to us, brother.
@williamball2392
I had the privilege of meeting Phil Keaggy during the 80s back stage at 6 Flags Magic Mountian on Christian Rock Night and he was humble and gave God all the credit for blessing him with this gift. Years later in 1987 when i was graduating from high school my
U S Government teacher who knew Phil personally was able to have him play a concert at a banquet hall for my school. And once again it was an incredible experience. Everything Mr Sklar sais about this man is so true and more. Thanks for making this video. GOD Bless.
@GlennHallLivingWater
"Just the Same"... now I know a little more of the reason why that particular song was so great. The bass guitar I heard, which I thought was Phil, must have been you! I always admired your music, brother, even before I became a Christian in early 1977 and learned of Phil shortly thereafter. To this day Phil is still my favorite guitarist and you, Leland, are my favorite bass guitarist. God bless you with peace and health.
@bassmanmac2
Had the honor of playing at Jesus 74 with a different group. Phil was there and it was my first time hearing him.
I’ve been a fan ever since!
Thank you for sharing these songs!
It was like sitting in the room with you. I’m a bass player and I’ve always been a fan!
@douglaswebster1028
I saw Phil at a church in Vegas when he did an acoustic set. Being a guitarist I would love it when he would go off into his own world for 10 minutes just playing whatever came into his head. Then he would look look up at us and say, I'm back! God gave him a gift and he took that gift and owned it! What a great brother!
@markhunter3966
Thank you Leland for your part and giving honor to Phil. He deserves it. What a talent, what a gift, and he still gives all the glory to God. I would love to meet Phil Keaggy one day, if not here on earth it will be a joy in heaven. His album "What a day" brought me to tears and helped root and ground me in Christ Jesus when I was attending college at EkU. We are all getting older. "His name is time and it's coming to an end..." may God bless you Leland.
@lifeandtext
Phil is one of my favorites; I had the privilege of seeing him live twice. A true gentleman, too! Check out ‘March of the Clouds’!
@gregorye.seneffsr.767
Thank you for this. Phil is amazingly gifted, but also very giving. He suggested to a group of artists who get together for lunch monthly that they hold a benefit concert for our family after our adult son passed. (They did and it was tremendous.) I first met him in 1977 and he is unfailingly friendly, kind, and encouraging, as is his wife, Bernadette.