Philip Tyler Keaggy (born March 23, 1951) is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 55 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets.

"[7] Keaggy was a member of a mid-1960s garage rock band called the Squires; one of their songs ("Batmobile"), which he co-wrote, appears on the compilation album Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 9.

A major turning point for the trio was their winning of an Ohio area's "Battle of the Bands", One of the event's judges happened to be an associate of producer Lewis Merenstein, whom he alerted to the threesome.

Contrary to the tight production and song-oriented nature of Glass Harp's studio albums, their live performances demonstrated the band's ability to stretch out and expand the boundaries of their compositions.

As a result, they are one of the pioneers of what would later be known as the jam rock genre, with songs many times reaching over 30 minutes in length with extended solo passages and group improvisation.

"[10] Keaggy and his wife moved to rural Freeville, New York, to participate in and become immersed in the discipleship program of Love Inn Community led by Scottish-American disc-jockey Scott Ross.

In late 1974, Keaggy played guitar on Joe Vitale's debut solo album Roller Coaster Weekend produced by The Albert Brothers.

Also in 1989, Keaggy went on the road with Stonehill for a tour by The Keaggy/Stonehill Band, which included Swirling Eddie drummer David Raven and Daniel Amos bassist Tim Chandler.

A long-time fan of Lewis' work, Keaggy also referenced the author in several song titles ("Brother Jack", "Addison's Walk" and "County Down").

The sessions resulted in the release of Crimson and Blue, a bluesy rock album geared to the Christian market which included a cover of Van Morrison's "When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God".

[18] The band that toured in support of the album featured Madeira on Hammond B-3 organ, Sferra on drums, and Wade Jaynes (of Chagall Guevara) on bass.

"[16] Also in 1996, his wife Bernadette published A Deeper Shade of Grace, a moving account of the emotional and spiritual struggles she experienced in losing their first five children via early infant death, miscarriage and stillbirth.

Released through Canis Major Records, highlights are Spanish-flavored "Praise Dance", the hypnotic groove "Firewalker", and the six-part epic, "Way of the Pilgrim".

Several songs reflected a Beatles influence, including "Days Like You", his last single to receive considerable airplay as Christian radio seemed to move towards a more youth-oriented format.

The double album Premium Jams is a stunning collection of previously unreleased electric instrumentals dating back to the recording sessions for Crimson and Blue and 220.

Majesty and Wonder, a Christmas album featuring the London Festival Orchestra, includes Keaggy's take on standards such as "Oh Holy Night" as well as a three-part original, "Nativity Suite".

With the exception of "Gentle Eyes", Re-Emerging retained the material from the original album and also introduced four brand new tracks: "My Auburn Lady", "Mighty Lord", "You're My Hero", and "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight".

In October 2000, Keaggy, John Sferra and Daniel Pecchio reunited as Glass Harp for a concert in their hometown of Youngstown at a sold out Powers Auditorium.

In the Quiet Hours showcased a new composition "As It Is in Heaven"; Cinemascapes includes three previously unreleased songs: "The Road Home", "Lighthouse", and "For the Love".

The track, "Our Daily Bread" as well as the entire album, are dedicated to Todd Beamer, a Christian passenger of 9-11's Flight 93 who was a fan of Keaggy's music.

In the same year, Phil also participated on Randy Stonehill's Edge of the World album, singing a duet "That's the Way It Goes" as well as appearing on "We Were All So Young" with other veteran musicians such as Larry Norman.

[19] The album consisted primarily of Keaggy originals and also featured a re-recording of "Here and Now" from 1986's Way Back Home, as well as covers of the Beatles tune "When I'm 64" and Elton John's "The Greatest Discovery".

[19] The album also included a new rendering of "Ode to Joy" titled "Joyphil" and "Prehistrobie K-18", a previously unreleased song that Phil wrote and recorded as a teenager.

[26] In support of the album, the two musicians, along with guitarist Mike Pachelli and Glass Harp's Daniel Pecchio and John Sferra, played several concerts as "The Keaggy-Stonehill Band".

[28] Featuring mostly original compositions such as the title track, Welcome Inn also includes the classic "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and an acoustic instrumental version of "In the Bleak Midwinter".

The project also includes a new recording of "On that Day", a song co-written with Glass Harp drummer John Sferra for Keaggy's True Believer album in 1995.

In a February 5, 1971, feature on Glass Harp in Cleveland's The Plain Dealer, the paper's rock music critic Jane Scott cited unnamed "record people" who recounted a story of Hendrix saying (in 1970) "That guy (Phil Keaggy) is the upcoming guitar player in the Midwest".

[37] Other variants of the urban legend exist with Hendrix answering the question with Rory Gallagher, Terry Kath, Billy Gibbons, or John McLaughlin in place of Keaggy.

A more recent variant has Eddie Van Halen being asked the same question by David Letterman or Barbara Walters, usually answering “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Randy Rhodes.” Keaggy has continually insisted that such stories are completely unfounded, noting that "it was impossible that Jimi Hendrix could ever have heard me...We...recorded our first album at Electric Lady Studios two weeks after his unfortunate death, so I just can't imagine how he could've heard me.

[38] In a July 2010 interview, Glass Harp bassist Daniel Pecchio commented on the ongoing Hendrix rumors saying "It's a true urban legend.