Phil Keaggy (unbelievably good guitarist)

[Blooby]

Phil Keaggy is one of the best musicians I have ever heard. He's a Beatles nut, so he certainly knows what makes a concise tune, and yet he was in Glass Harp, an archetypal rock and roll jamband, so he knows how to improvise. He's also one of the few guitarists who have distinct electric and acoustic styles (Steve Howe, Eric Johnson, and Jack Pearson also spring to mind).

His music has evolved into being categorized as mostly Christian these days (FYI, I'm a heretic). If you Youtube him, you will also see he was looping before there were loopers. He has it down to a bit of a science.

Noodling on a Moog Guitar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2OwtdlTaM

Playing a Gorgeous Acoustic Solo Piece

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTsHn9a9u1c

Looping

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV3bLZLpqTQ

Shredding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T3to3DHLIE

[Geir]

What a fantastic artist !!!!

That loop performance was amazing ...

[Bluesberry]

I am in awe.  Watching a master like this reminds me why, if I had any choice in the matter, I would gladly spend 8-10 hours every day playing my guitar.  Why can't I?  Its unfair that I can't, damn it.

[Blooby]

Got to cross somebody off my short list of artists (who are still alive) I'd like to see perform.  Went on a solo road trip to see Phil Keaggy in a tiny church in Fort Walton Beach, FL.  Admission was a bag of non-perishable food items. He is quite simply one of the most musical people I've ever seen.  He used his loop pedals to great effect for both vocals and his acoustic.  Instead of setting up overt loops (most of the time anyway), he would sneak them in and out, sometimes harmonizing melody lines or chord stacking.  His soloing seemed effortless, his singing was great (quite Beatle-like in spots), and he was funny as heck.  Not too shabby for a 60 year-old.  My only beef was the "hit-you-over-the-head-with-Christianity" slant to the entire evening.  I wasn't uncomfortable and certainly not offended, but let's just say I'm glad I didn't burst into flames.  If you want something a tad less religious, he has instrumental albums as well.  His early pre-Christian band Glass Harp was a rocking group that jammed up a storm.  The Live at Carnegie album was quite the listen.

If you have a chance to go on a solo road trip to clear out the cobwebs, do it!

Blooby

While this doesn't show off his virtuosity, the looping in the video below gets interesting at about the 3:30 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0phfEb98b_o

[OsCKilO]

I’m not even going to attempt to comment on this awesomeness.........

[Blooby]

Finally found a couple videos that I think conveys how beautiful his playing can be.  Both are instrumentals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4wbcuKRn8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3iSiij98VY

[Satchwood]

Wow the dude can play,,, i saw him once when i was a kid,,, got stoned with a bunch of youth group friends and drove down to the show,, what a rush !!

[Facemask93]

I have seen the light , oh my , true believers , what a voice , and can that man play
Blooby i cannot thank you enough for leading me to this man , wow

Rob

[Blooby]

Found an hour long special on him if anybody wishes to see a master at work. It's informal interview and acoustic performance with plenty of looping.

Link is here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/19130299

Blooby

[Blooby]

Caught Phil in a very small venue in Jacksonville, FL.  Just unbelievable.  One of the best musicians I've ever seen.  He played my favorite tune to boot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LypdFnO9dE