Back Room Trax Vol 12~ liner notes:

It’s Summer 2021 and here is another Back Room Trax-
Filled with variety, heart and fun.
This particular collection came about as a surprise to me, as good friends, Tom Gulotta and Steve Ashlock compiled and presented to me this list of songs.
It was like I was someone else getting a preview of a set of songs I wasn’t expecting to hear. As a result I find in this collection some tunes I had totally forgotten I had recorded, and smiled in recollection.

1) In My Life —one of John Lennon’s finest songs and the original Rubber Soul recording is still the standard. Around 2007 Randy Stonehill and I recorded this song for the Acoustic Café project. Upon a recent listening I had realized that there was a harmony part missing that was crucial to the beauty of the song, so I added that part and thought-why not add bass and electric guitars (Hofner and Gretch) and ask my dear buddy of over a half century, John Sferra to play drums. The key is a step lower that the original but still sounds nice to my ears.
2) Round About You --- Steve Hindalong (producer, percussionist, writer and drummer of the group- The Choir) is a very talented man. This song came about in the early 90s. Steve wrote the lyrics and asked me to put music to them. This song appeared on the first At The Foot Of The Cross album. I haven’t heard it in a long time. This is a very lovely production and definitely not really a Back Room Trax but glad that more ears can hear it in the Garage.
3) It’s All In The Way You Love ---- lyrics written by veteran musician Bill Joor. Bill just turned 86 years old—was a trumpet player in big bands and plays chromatic harmonica as well. As a songwriter/singer, he asked me to help him with some of his tunes and this is one he asked me to sing. It has that old time “thing” about it for sure. Nice lil tune!
4) Motor Of Love (demo) -- Back before my family moved from California in 1989 I picked up a copy of Paul McCartney’s new release “Flowers In The Dirt”-Great album! A friend asked me to record it and send it for a gift to her husband. That’s this recording.
I loved the tune so much that I sang it in concerts and eventually recorded a better version of it for my album “Inseparable” in 2000. It also appears on my project “Cover Of Love”.
5) Counting Sheep --- don’t ever remember titling this acoustic piece… I have a longer version called Katie’s Song, which I had recorded for a friend’s daughter’s wedding. Anyway, it’s a nice little ditty…
6) Alternate Tuning (King’s Horse) --- I had used a small voice recorder back in the day to record the various tunings for my songs which had non-standard tunings of the guitar strings. This one escaped the corral. The King’s Horse is a piece on my Lights Of Madrid project.
7) Blue, Blue --- This lil ditty was a piece I threw together when artist/writer Charlie Peacock was working with young children and teaching them about songwriting. As I recall, back in the very early 90s, he sent this little phrase to me and I came up with this melody. I don’t know where this recording came from but it’s nice to hear it again. Charlie also sent me some words kids put together called “If I were An Animal”
I wrote music to those words too and eventually did a rocking instrumental version on my 220 project.
8) John The Revelator --- here’s yet another version of that grand ole tune. This version came about after we had taken a trip to the Mediterranean with friends from various churches. We visited Israel too and the Isle of Patmos. I wrote these verses after we returned to our ship. This version has a bit of a southern gospel feel. I could hear Elvis sing this version…
9) Vela --- Cool title—I can’t remember who came up with it!
This little piece reminds me of something from Acoustic Sketches Vol 1—maybe “Looking Back”
I think this was a piece I did along with a lot of short excerpts for a friend’s audio book.

10) God Planted a Tree – My dear niece Mary Ellen Smith wrote this poem and sent it to me back when her son Johnny nearly lost his life on a bicycle accident and his bike spun out of control and he fell over a cliff but there was tree that literally prevented his falling further down the precipice. My niece has written a lot of poetry and I’ve recorded a number of them (Contemplate The Moon, Snowman, Baby Smile, Shining On and others…) There was a time a melody to a poem would just pop out of me and I went to record it. Glad I did in most cases. This was a special tune based on a real story. (Though I must admit—that drum beat reminds me of the song “ She Drives Me Crazy—haha!) Mary Ellen—I love you dear niece!
11). When Madeline Prays – Rich Mullins wrote this song and I have always loved it! Based on a true story about his pastor’s young daughter who was born with many afflictions. Madeline couldn’t speak or see but Rich would speak into her ear and say “pray for Rich”. He believed she was in touch with God and His angels. This song almost made it on one of my past albums and I wished I had released it. Big oversight on my part! God rest brother Rich—a fine and humble man who was a treasure to us all. Rich’s music still touches lives today. I hope you will seek out his music and allow it to move you to serve the Lord!
12) Girl From The Mist – This is a very recent recording. My friend and co writer - brother David Hirsch wrote the words to bless and honor the legendary Irish singer Moya (Maire) Brennan. I too have been deeply touched by her voice and music and was privileged to once accompany her in song while in Ireland about 15 years ago. David asked me if I would write music to his words so he could present the song to Moya and her husband Tim.
The melody came quickly and my friend Rex Schnelle mixed my tracks for me. I played the instruments and sang the vocals. Moya and Tim were very touched by the song. I’m happy for that!
13) Discover The Book --- This has to be 1985 or thereabouts. I didn’t write this song—in fact I have no idea who did. Here’s how the story goes: A friend of ours in Virginia Beach told me that there was a producer of special projects that wanted to have me sing a song promoting The Living Bible’s edition called The Book. Some of you remember that…
The producer of this project was Laura Eastman—a very talented and dedicated lady of faith. Bernadette and I went to Virginia Beach and I recorded my guitar and vocal to this pre written song and tracks. The next step was to make a video. The music video apparently was discontinued as the production team ran out of funds. Still, it was a great bit of fun and was intended to go to a good cause. This song was never released…and it sure does sound like the 80s!
14) My Sweet Lord (Redeaux) --- This recording, among many, was recorded for my good friend Mark Lanier, who is a gifted man of many talents. He happens to teach a Bible study and there are thousands who can hear his teaching of the Word online. Mark would send me his rewritten lyrics to many pop and rock songs—a few folk and old time numbers as well asking me to record the music and sing the revised version. He would use these recordings in his power point presentation along with his Bible study. I think I’ve recorded at least 25 songs over the years for Mark. This version of George Harrison’s song was also used in his study. I recorded and sang the words exactly as he wrote them. Just so ya’ll know, George was a huge inspiration to me as a young guitarist and to this day I listen with delight to his musical contribution to our lives.
15) Abba Father (demo to Our Daily Bread) --- Another version of this piece appears on my project Hymnsongs. This song is pretty special to me as if it were a Selah to our wonderful Lord’s Prayer!
16) Song For Michael Pukac --- I have never met Michael… but I have met and jammed with Christie Lenée ! She is one of the finest fingerstyle acoustic guitarists around. We have a tune we recorded on my “Instrumental Duets” project here on the Garage. This is a freeform jam of one of Christie’s signature original songs. She is the Champion of the 2017 International Fingerstyle contest. This recording gives you a taste of her expertise. I played electric and just tried to hang on! Do check out her website <christielenee.com>
17) Take Me Back – here is another song that I co-wrote with David Hirsch—pastor and songwriter. This song appears on David’s album “A Different Dream” by The Key Of David. It’s also available on my website. I played and sang on this very Van Morrison-esque album. Check it out –it will bless you.
I had also considered this song for one of my own albums. I’m glad many of you will hear it on this compilation. Thank you, David for your heart and gifts to us and serving our Lord so faithfully over all these years!
18) Just One Time (with daughter Alicia at 5 years old) Some of you remember “Funny Faces and Little School Girl” –well here she is again. This was 1985 and as we usually did, we would just make something up on the spot. She held the microphone and away we’d go. Fond memories!

There you have it…. God bless you all—thanks for listening .
Phil Keaggy
Aug 9, 2021