From Rock Guitar Hero to Jesus Music Pioneer

 

Phil Keaggy had a decent following and an expanding reputation as an amazing guitarist as part of a late-60s / early 70s rock power trio, Glass Harp.

Then he met Jesus. And nothing has been the same since.

As a musician, Keaggy began expressing the joy of his newfound faith through the songs he wrote and performed. That didn't fit so well in the context of Glass Harp, so Phil went solo and ended up being part of the Mount Rushmore of Jesus Music/Contemporary Christian Music.

Mount Rushmore of Jesus Music:
Larry Norman, Andrea Crouch, Honeytree, Phil Keaggy

Keaggy's first solo album was, as the album cover states, "written, arranged, produced, and performed by Phil Keaggy." Every note, every word, every percussive tap and melodic pluck was Phil Keaggy expressing his love, joy, and hope in the Lord.

Today, and for the next eight weeks, Truth Is... will meditate on the songs of that album, What a Day.

First up, "That Is What the Lord Will Do for You":

Winter's here, autumn's gone

Leaves have fallen

It's the season before the dawn

Spring is calling

And as winter comes to an end

Spring brings life again

Born again, given life anew

That is what the Lord will do for you

Just in case you haven't heard

In the beginning was the Word

And the Word was with God

And the Word was God

He gives life to all mankind

He gives sight to the blind

Able to see, able to start anew

Life and that is what He'll give to you

And it's free

All you have to do is believe

That He loves you

Died for you, is ever more alive for you

There is something about the wind

And how it blows

Where it's coming from and then where it goes

There's no doubt when you hear it

There's no doubt when you're born of the Spirit

Born again, given new life anew

That is what the Lord will do for you

https://youtu.be/UVCEL-POPrI?si=w1crHFfHKTNLc_us

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Truth is...Having been "born again" for more than a few years, I must admit that this sense of resurrection and joy and being filled with the life of Christ is something that is not "one and done." Every day, Lord Jesus, keep me aware of how dead I was without you and how you conquered death...not just for yourself, but for me, too.