PK Notes on Back Room Trax Vol 9:
Hello friends,
Here is a compilation of songs spanning many years—all demos, creating for you Vol 9 of the Back Room Trax collection.

Here are some notes:

1) Where You Are- The backing tracks to this song were recorded at Rick Hordinski’s studio in the late 90s. I wrote the lyrics and recorded my vocals at my place, then the song was put on the back burner all these years till it was rediscovered. Rich is a fine producer and co produced my Hymnsongs project not long after this session. Rich also joined me on the Master and Musician 30th Anniversary Tour in 2008. Thanks Rich for all the years of encouragement, musical inspiration and CS Lewis books!

2) Heaven Is Home- Here we are January 2020 and it was 50 years ago as of next month that I became a follower of Jesus and received Him as my Savior. This song was my 1st Christian song that I wrote around March or April 1970. Somewhere out there is the original 1970 demo of this song.
I can’t pinpoint when this version was recorded but I think it was in the late 90s. The inspiration for this song was my mother’s passing and the hope I discovered that life doesn’t end here.

3) The Wonder Of You- I wrote this song with songwriter Tom Frye last March 2019. The message is for those who feel insignificant and feel they have no purpose. Psalm 139 states that we are significant to God for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God loves us—that’s the truth!

4) Chalice- My good and lifelong friend John Sferra sent me this track to sing to and play guitar. The chord changes are all John’s. I wrote the words, inspired by both Oswald Chambers and C S Lewis about suffering. This version resurfaced recently and I had forgotten about it, as some of my demos were lost on an old hardrive that had crashed. In 2000 I created an album called Inseparable and did a slower, more thoughtful version of this song that to this day is very special. The Glass Harp also performed this song on The Glass Harp with Strings Attached Live album in 2000. It also is on my Live from Kegworth project. So, you can see it’s a special song to me.

5) In The Element- In July 2013, I got together with Matthew Burgess, a fine percussionist who also around that time did a Christmas tour with me and Michael Card. Matt and I recorded a number of instrumental tunes in a day.
Here’s one we wrote together.


6) I Belong To You- Here’s an instrumental acoustic backing track I must’ve made for someone to sing, perhaps for a wedding that I recorded in the late 90s. My vocal version first appeared on my 1980 album Ph’lip Side.


7) Take My Love With You- This was a hit song by Bonnie Raitt that my wife Bernadette really liked and asked me to learn it, so I did back in Jan 2013. Little did I know that Gordon Kennedy, who helped me with the All At Once project by writing with Ben Cooper its’ title song was one of the writers along with Wayne Kirkpatrick and Kelly Price. One day Gordon and I were looking at tunes to consider and I played this demo for him and he just grinned as he told me it was one of his songs—small and interesting world—ain’t it! This demo also was the 1st time I used the Infinity Looper by Pigtronix (Thanks Dave)

8) Jerusalem- Somewhere between 1995 and 97 I recorded this demo.
I don’t quite understand the words (William Blake 1804) but have always loved the melody (Hubert Parry 1916) Emerson, Lake and Palmer recorded this and the song was also in the great movie ~ Chariots Of Fire.
I also did an instrumental version on my 2002 album Hymnsongs produced by Rick Hordinski.

9) The Soul- just a short ditty I came up one day using 2 capos.

10) A Kiss- Last Jan 2019, my friend David Hirsch sent me this lyric. We’d been co writing some songs. This is one of the demos where I came up with the music and melody to his lyrics. Check out David’s album-
A Different Dream I helped produce~ really passionate music and it it really rocks!

11) Wait On The Lord- I wrote this one just this last October 2019.
I wanted to write a song to encourage my brothers and sisters in the faith during these times of great challenges. Thanks goes out to Sam Skinner for his fine acoustic guitar that I used on this track, and also to my son Ian for mixing.

12) Glory to Glory- In 2014, I invited John Thompson, a fine artist and book writer to come over and write a tune. This was the result. I did the music and John and I did the vocals with John front and center. Some of you remember True Tunes—well, John is still doing good stuff in the creative field. Check out his website truetunes.com.

13) To The Unknown Soldier- Whoa! A blast from the distant past!
Back around the time I recorded the songs for Underground 1982, I recorded this instrumental jam piece with drummer and good friend Jim DeLong who was touring with me at that time. It was recorded on the old Teac 144 Porta Studio 4 track recorder.

14) The One Who Knows Your Name- Written in 2014…I was writing songs towards my next vocal at that time. I recall having a cold—at least it sounds like I do…Perhaps someone will receive something good from this demo recording. I can hear Ringo Starr singing this one ;-)

15) Along The Harpeth- Lastly, another very special song to me! Violinist David Davidson—one of the finest players in Nashville and a good friend came by with his violin and we improvised this piece. It sounds scored but we just played live off each other. Lately, I’ve been enjoying this kind of recording and writing. I love the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams and there are a couple of moments reminiscent of RVW. Thanks David for all the years you have blessed so many with your gift!

Thanks all—

Phil Keaggy
Jan 14, 2020