When it comes to expressing The Song Within, few musicians of any genre, age or instrument have been as true to themselves and their art as Phil Keaggy. Throughout an incredibly prolific career that has spanned more than 30 years and produced more than 50 albums, that truth and honesty have permeated his work and ultimately given new meaning to the word "beauty."

On The Song Within, Keaggy uses his command of his art to communicate rather than dazzle. The result is a project that is imminently accessible and radiantly brilliant. "I've done plenty of projects that were perhaps a bit self-indulgent," Keaggy confesses. "For The Song Within, I wanted to create music that would please people. I wanted to stay true to myself, yet create a collection of songs that was for others."

Armed with that desire, Keaggy consciously created songs with his considerable fan base in mind. Newer initiates will be amazed with the deft, apparently effortless, artistry of this 16-song collection, while older fans will be thrilled by the myriad of styles and influences that combine to make Keaggy's work impossible to categorize and equally impossible to mistake.

At once contemporary yet timeless, The Song Within is an acoustic amalgam of both cheerful and contemplative moods--a sound that can only be described as Keaggy-esque. From the fresh, lively reminiscences of the opener, "Water Day," to the beckoning waltz of a sweet McPherson acoustic guitar on the benediction, "A Sense of Time," Keaggy coaxes, teases and cajoles listeners out of their complacency, daring them to live this paradox of faith. He also teams up with longtime friend, fingerstyle guitar master Muriel Anderson, on the song "New Year's Eve." The two maestros play off each other's licks--improvising, embellishing and complementing each other with the final result being a joyful celebration of the moment.

While Keaggy owns a number of fine guitars, both electric and acoustic, he notes that he recorded The Song Within exclusively with a McPherson acoustic. "The McPherson is a wonderful instrument, a wonderful recording guitar," Keaggy declares. "It is very much loved by engineers who record acoustic guitars because its sound is very true. It sounds just like a guitar should sound."

A true musical legend, Phil Keaggy has the propitious gift of investing his art with grace, truth and beauty. Because his music is a true reflection of himself at this very moment, The Song Within has that same ability to refresh and encourage those who hear it.

Phil Keaggy's The Song Within will be available from Autumn Records/Christian Network International. The Autumn Records roster includes Matt and Sherry McPherson, Kelly Willard and Erin Schneider, as well as guitarists Dave Cleveland, Mark Baldwin, Tom Hemby and Bruce Gaitsch. For more information, visit www.autumnrecords.com.