released March 31, 2022

1. HELLO CLEVELAND
Glass Harp – Dan (Pecchio), John (Sferra), and I with a hand held mike looking for our concert address somewhere in Cleveland.

2. JOHN THE REVELATOR
Recorded in Nashville – July ‘92
When Lynn (Nichols) and I were working on Crimson & Blue, we came across a version of “john” by the blues singer Son House singing acapella with just hand claps, with no chords or anything. So we added chords and gave it an old “Cream” kind of feel. It has a lot of energy, a real fun arrangement. I think this is really a provocative sounding recording, especially the way John (Sferra) played drums on it. Phil Madeira and Wade Jaynes did a great job as well. That album was the first time I had recorded with John since 1972 in Glass Harp – twenty years…his playing is better than ever.
Traditional arrangement by Phil Keaggy and Lyn Nichols - Sebastian Music/Word Music/ASCAP

3. BE IN MY HEART
Recorded in Nashville – December ‘89
Norman Miller, my manager, brought me this song written by John Perry. I liked it immediately and I loved the message. It’s a very sincere prayer of commitment to Christ and a desire to lead a life that honors His name. Recently, I came across a prayer in the Book of Common Prayer that was probably the inspiration for John’s idea – especially knowing that John is English.
Written by John Perry – Colgems-EMI Music, Inc./ASCAP

4. YOUR LOVE BROKE THROUGH
Recorded in Hollywood – June ‘76
This song was introduced to me by Buck Herring through Keith Green, himself, who sang it to me. Apparently, it was a fairly new song. He had never recorded it. In fact, later in the week following a concert we did together, he took me into his studio in Burbank and we demoed it. It was a really great memory – him singing at his piano. Keith really looked at you when he sang, you know. And he sang it with a lot of passion, a lot of heart. I thought “this guy is pretty special.” Keith wrote this with Randy Stonehill, and we mustn’t forget Todd Fishkind, who was the writer of the beautiful chorus melody.
Written by Keith Green, Randy Stonehill, and Todd Fishkind – EMI April Music Inc./King of Hearts Music/ASCAP

5. SHOUTS OF JOY
Recorded live in Lancaster, PA – November 28, 1993 (previously unreleased)
I have never heard the original song, but I came across the lyrics penned by Ray Repp in a prayer book of songs and psalms. It was like reading a psalm and I put it to music. This live version is from the Crimson & Blue tour in ’93 with John (Sferra) on drums, Wade (Jaynes) on bass, and Phil (Madeira on a marching snare drum.
Written by Ray Repp and Phil Keaggy – K&R Music, Inc./Sebastian Music/Word Music/ASCAP

6. TELL ME HOW YOU FEEL
Recorded in Hollywood – July ‘88
A conversation between two friends, one entreating the other friend to be honest with him – and don’t just tell me you’re doing fine, you know. I’m okay, you know. I can read that there is something deeper going on in your life. Do you want to just talk about it? This was the opening track to Sunday’s Child – it set the mood for the whole album. I enjoyed playing the bass on this track and Mike Mead’s drumming is a highlight. This tune was one of the first in a new musical direction for me.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Sebastian Music/Word Music/ASCAP

7. EVERYWHERE I LOOK
Recorded in Nashville – July ‘92
Philly (Madeira) wrote this especially for me. A great message in a couple of short verses. God’s creation reveals His person and being. And the very depths of who we are cause us to face Him. The sound of this recording, as well as the others Crimson & Blue, can be attributed to the amps and guitars we used – an old Gretsch, Rickenbacker’s, the Gibson, and Vox amps.
Written by Phil Madeira – BMG Songs, Inc./ASACP

8. RYAN’S SONG
Recorded in Schaumburg, IL – August ‘77
This was a poem that my friend, Bill Clarke, had written. He just humbly gave it to me on a little piece of paper. He said, “I didn’t know what to express, what to say about you losing Ryan. But here, I just wanted you to have this.” I had been writing music. I had the chords and melody, but couldn’t come up with the words. He gave me this poem. These words fit like a glove. You know, perfectly. Ryan’s Song is one of those songs where some realness was truly imparted to my listeners when I did concerts, because everyone can relate to losing someone you love.
Written by Bill Clarke and Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

9. LIKE AN ISLAND
Recorded in N. Hollywood – December ‘84
I wrote this on tour in autumn ’84 dreaming about floating islands, being in love, and commitment. I think this song has a memorable melody and Smitty Price co-produced and played the keys on it.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

10. HAPPY
Recorded in Kansas City, KS – Spring ‘82
This was the opening track on Play Thru Me. Jim DeLong played drums and Hadley Hockensmith played bass. I was playing around with these chords for quite a few years until it finally came together while I was on the road with a group called Cross Section, some good brothers from Kansas City.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/BMG Songs, Inc./Sandtree Music/ASCAP

11. STRONG TOWER
Recorded in Nashville – December ‘89
This is one of the last songs I wrote in California before moving to Nashville. It’s always been a strong concert song. It’s taken from Proverbs 18:0. And it’s recorded with our good friends, Rick Cua, Mike Mead, and David Mullen. It’s a proclamation of faith.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Sebastian Music/Word Music/ASCAP

12. SOUNDS
Recorded in N. Hollywood – December ‘85
I used a variety of styles and sounds in the lead playing on “Sounds.” I really like the ending. The recording session was exciting. I was sitting in a chair playing guitar on the rhythm track, the basic track, and then we got vamping on the ending and I kicked a button on my amp, and kicked it in overdrive, and got really excited. I ended up on my feet, and it felt like I was in a concert situation, but it was a studio. So it really has a very live ending. No “punching in” there.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

13. WE’LL MEET AGAIN
Recorded in Youngstown, OH – 1967 (previously unreleased)
This is one of my earliest recordings. I was playing a Telecaster, and I tuned it down for the bas bits. I think this must have been ’67 or ’68. Ninth or tenth grade. It’s one of those “boy meets girl” songs.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

14. TAKE A LOOK AROUND
Recorded in Schaumburg, IL – August ‘77
“A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Community – life in Christ is where His great love is demonstrated and expressed. This is with my old bandmates, PKB. We were a band who was in a community, and it was a good experience because today we still have strong friendships. No, the band is not playing the saxophones – that’s Ray Papai.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

15. SUNDAY SCHOOL
Recorded in Hollywood – May ‘80
I wrote this immediately upon moving to Kansas City in ’79. I was doing solo dates. It’s kind of a bluesy thing that I actually wrote with the acoustic guitar. Somebody once gave me a piece of paper with the final verse that they wrote, turning it all around so it ends on a more optimistic note. I thought they were good lyrics, but I never used them.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/BMG Songs, Inc./Sandtree Music/ASCAP

16. COUNTY DOWN
Recorded in Nashville – October ‘90
This is DADGAD tuning. A lot of finger style guitar players know about this tuning. Before I started the Beyond Nature album, I was over at my friend Jimmy A’s house and he had a guitar laying there. Anyway, I picked it up and I did the introduction to “Like An Island.” But it was in standard tuning. I thought, “Oh, that sounds interesting” – cause I didn’t even tune it, I just picked it up and did the lick. I thought, “Oh, listen to that.” So I went home, tuned my guitar to that tuning, and proceeded to write the whole song, “County Down,” in that tuning, and so it just really worked out. That’s one of my favorite concert songs of all time because it really inspires joy. “County Down” is a county in Northern Ireland. When I played it there, they seemed to enjoy it. It’s basically a Tennessee kind of tune meets its Irish ancestors.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Sebastian Music/Word Music/ASCAP

17. MAKER OF THE UNIVERSE
Recorded in N. Hollywood – March ‘86
This was based upon the January 1st reading in a devotional, The Continual Burnt Offering, compiled by H.A. Ironside back in the 1940’s. Every day had a reading, a little sermon and a poem or part of a hymn. I read this poem about the Crucifixion and all the elements of this earth that were used, and how they affected and were intertwined with the sufferings of Christ. The whole idea was how everything used against Him in His crucifixion were made by His hands. It’s serious poetry. It was very, very inspiring, and I thought that one way to always remember it was to put it in a song.
Written by F.W. Pitt and Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

18. HEAVEN IS HOME
Recorded in Youngstown, OH – March ’70 (previously unreleased)
This was the very first song I wrote upon becoming a believer. I must have written it in March 1970, a month after I met the Lord. I got hold of this little Gibson guitar that actually belonged to my sister, Geri. I was just thinking about the newness of Life and a new day, and what it seems like it will be in comparison to the cloudy days of the past. Smiling in a new way. Everything was like new, open and optimistic. I think those are the kind of experiences God often gives to His newly born children, because then tough patches come later down the road. It does seem like God has a way of shielding newborn believers and giving them special experiences. This song depicted that. It’s like holding hands, singing along as we pray. It’s like almost too good to be true. It’s really how little children are when they are happy. They dance and they run, they hold hands, they smile. It’s just being born anew. This is only a portion of the original song. As in a dream, a memory – a longing.
Written by Phil Keaggy - Birdwing Music/Marguerite Music/ASCAP

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Produced and Compiled by Phil Keaggy and Mark Maxwell
Digitally Remastered by Hank Williams at Master Mix
Digitally Edited by Ronnie Thomas at Master Mix

I dedicate this project to a very special person, whose loving witness brought me to living faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you, my sister, Mary Ellen.

The Producers: jb, Dan Collins, Tom Coomes, Bob Cotton, Buck Herring, Peter Hopper, Lewis Merenstein, Lynn Nichols, Smitty Price

The Musicians and Singers: Jimmy A, Alex Acuña, Terry Anderson, Curt Bartlett, Geri Bobeck, Lenny Castro, John Catchings, Judith Cotton, Dave Coy, Rick Cua, Dan Cunningham, Derri Daugherty, Jim DeLong, Stewart Duncan, Michael Fisher, Karl Fruh, Leon Gaer, Jim Gordon, Annie Herring, Hadley Hockensmith, James Hollihan, Dennis Holt, Jim Issacs, Wade Jaynes, Lee Jones, Bernadette, Alicia, Olivia, and Ian Keaggy, Larry Knechtel, Brack Leaberry, Mylon LeFevre, Paul Leim, Jeff Lams, Phil and Elinor Madeira, Doug Matthews, Mike Mead, David Mullen, Dan Murdock, Lynn, Kathy, Bianca, and Damann Nichols, Michael Omartian, John Painter, Ray Papai, Charlie Peacock, Dan Pecchio, Al Pethel, Smitty Price, John Sferra, Leland Sklar, Richard Souther, Dave Spurr, Randy Stonehill, Matthew Ward.

Thanks to Holly Benyousky, Mal Davis, Paul Dear, Gary Hedden, Ken Johnson, Johnny Kay, Eddie Keaggy, Mark Maxwell, Glenda McNalley, Norman Miller, Dan Newby, Dave Parker, Denny Siegrist, Barb and Chuck Wagner and Peter York. Special thanks to Lewis Merenstein, Neal Williams, Chris Hauser, Lynn Nichols, Phil Madeira, Bruce Brown, John Styll, John Thompson, Tony Shore, Keith Harrold, Dave Eastburn, Robin Mawdsley, Mark Hollingsworth, Dan Holter, Buddy Miller, jb, and all of Phil’s friends who helped and gave their input on this compilation.

Art Direction: Chuck Nelson
Design: Chris Ferrara, Team Design
Cover Photography: Ben Pearson