Rex & Phil
[Rex] As a fan, I first met Phil when I was [WM] The new record has five songs that you part on that tape was a portion—the chorus,
in my early 20’s (mid 1980’s) at his gig at the wrote together, plus four vintage Keaggy songs then following, the chords to what would have
Paramount Theater in Austin, TX. Later I moved that have been not just given a fresh coat of been the verses.
to Nashville and began playing guitar, singing, paint, but have been totally revitalized. You and producing there. The next time we struck each have a song as well that you collaborated Rex and I could feel the atmosphere rise with a
up a conversation, I told him about my record, with other people to write. bit of excitement and anticipation for what we
and that is when he so graciously offered to
could come up with. We got together and both
play on my album, Hero Shuffle. Within 3 days, For the vintage Keaggy tunes… ‘Full Circle”, wrote the verses to “I Believe”. The theme is of
Phil, Eric Johnson and Dann Huff agreed to “Spend My Life with You”, “Let Everything the days back in the Jesus movement. Jesus
play on it. I was overwhelmed. Else Go” and “Time”, tell us how you guys touching the lives of a generation!
reworked the guitar parts from the tones (and
From that point on, Phil and I collaborated a few signal chain) to making enough space to let two Rex developed the whole track for me to sing
times, both live and in the studio, overdubbing different (and very good) guitar players have the to… we wrote the words and I sang, then I
guitars. When All At Once was being recorded, room to breathe? played the guitar solo. Rex played everything
he and I found an amazing method to work
else, as he did all the songs.
together, and we co-wrote and completed the [Phil] The old tunes of mine were chosen song “I Love The Way You Love Me” in just a one by one as we were adding verses, and It was a grand start to what would become a
couple of days. We then began talking of a guitar parts to Rex’s nearly finished songs. The “record” from the both of us - a two piece band.
project that we could both create, and that led whole experiment started with a chorus and a So, as I recall, we chose my old songs in
us to this record. But the most amazing part few chords to a song I wrote in 1971 while on between working on Rex’s tunes. I’m honored
is the koinonia (Editor’s note: Greek word for tour with Glass Harp playing dates on the West he asked me to sing many of them and add my
Christian fellowship) we share in the journey. I Coast. The only reference to that song (which is lyrical contribution. The back and forth guitar
could write a book about those blessings! now called “I Believe”) that I had was taken from solos we shared and the new songs he brought
an old reel to reel tape and the only playable to the table sparked the idea to revisit a few of
November 2018
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