YOUR
LOVE
BROKE
THRU
WRITTEN BY KEITH GREEN, RANDY STONEHILL AND TODD FISHKIND
RECORDED BY PHIL KEAGGY ON LOVE BROKE THRU (NEWSONG, 1976)
PRODUCED BY BUCK HERRING
ALSO RECORDED BY: RANDY STONEHILL ON LOVE BEYOND REASON
Genius” is one of those terms that publicists like to throw around with abandon. In the case of Phil Keaggy, however, it is not hype, though his small stature and unassuming demeanor can fool you. He is in fact a guitar virtuoso, a musician’s musician who has inspired artists and fans for over 30 years.
In 1976, a newly married Phil Keaggy was living in a Christian “commune” in upstate New York. He had taken a break from his own solo recording career, and had been touring with 2nd Chapter of Acts and Honeytree. Ready to go back into the studio, he began work on a new project with 2nd Chapter’s Buck Herring at the helm. Phil describes finding his signature song, “Love Broke Thru” and his historic encounter with the late, great Keith Green like this:
“I was working on my second solo album with Buck as the producer and engineer, and we were sitting around sorting through songs and discussing our time frame. So in bounces this guy, Keith Green, and it was great. He was so full of life, full of Jesus, full of song. Buck says, ‘Brother, I’d like to introduce you to Keith.’ And Keith says with this big grin, ‘Hi, how are you doing, praise the Lord! I’ve got a new song I want to play for you!’ We went into one of the extra bedrooms and he sat down at the piano and played ‘Love Broke Thru,’ smiling the whole time and looking directly into my eyes. Buck told me that he really thought I should do it on my new album, and I said, ‘I’d love to—what a beautiful song!’ So I did. We went in and cut the track and then did the vocals. Keith personally taught me the song, he wrote it all out for me and we actually used his handwritten lyric sheet taped up by the microphone when I sang it. It’s a really good memory. I had such a great deal of respect for him as an artist, and I still do today.”
