Glass Harp - Where Did My World Come From? (2022)

Recorded February 13th, 19th, 25th and March 2nd, 1969 at United Audio, 10 Ellenwood Ave., Youngstown OH. Original sessions produced by Graham Tregurtha. Reissue produced by Gary Rhamy, Del Sinchak, Dean Anshutz, and Anthony LaMarca.

I first met Phil Keaggy when he was about fifteen years old. At that time, I owned Dusi Music, a Youngstown music store, and Phil lived a few blocks away. Since Phil didn't own a decent guitar, he would spend a lot of time at the store playing various guitars. Phil became like a son to me, and I could see the talent in this young man.

Phil loved the Gibson Les Paul. One day I asked him if he would like to have one of his own. He said, "Yes," but that he could never afford it. I told him that I would sell him one and he could make payments. I sold Phil the guitar and he agreed to pay something on it each week. The talented teenager never let me down.

Coincidentally, a few blocks from the music store, we had a small recording studio called WAM Records. Phil would bring in his home recorded tapes for me to hear and transfer into acetate records. (One of those recordings he brought me was “All My Wishes”, which appears on our Peppermint Presents…RAT RACE! compilation.) Although nothing much happened with these recordings, Phil continued to move forward with his musical career, playing guitar with local groups The Squires, The Volume 4, and The New Hudson Exit. Not long after, Phil formed a band with John Sferra and Steve Markulin calling themselves Glass Harp. They performed tirelessly and quickly became one of the top groups in the Youngstown area.

I sold WAM, but the studio remained at 10 Ellenwood Ave as United Audio. In early 1969 Phil, John and Steve entered the studio with Graham Tregurtha and produced the album you hold in your hand. Although only two songs (“Where Did My World Come From” b/w “She Told Me”) were ever released in their time, the rest of the recordings have been bootlegged and circulated for years, though none of these were transferred from the original masters. Staff members Anthony LaMarca and Dean Anshutz had been in contact with Phil about officially issuing these recordings, but not even Phil had the original master tapes. We assumed they were lost for good. But one day while looking for tapes for another project we came across six boxes labeled “Glass Harp” dated between February and March of 1969. These had to be them.

You can imagine our excitement as engineer Gary Rhamy threaded the tape through the machine and pressed play. We listened in amazement, knowing that these legendary recordings would finally be preserved and shared with the world. The band was a scrappier, bluesier version of what would become the classic Glass Harp lineup. This would be Steve Markulin’s only recording with the band - leaving shortly after to join his cousin in The Human Beinz. Daniel Pecchio would replace Markulin on bass as the band recorded three LPs for Decca between ’70 and ’72.

It’s hard to describe the pride I felt as I listened to Phil play the guitar he bought from me half a century ago. And Phil never forgot his roots. Back in the '90's while I was attending a music convention in Anaheim, I read in the paper that he was doing a concert there. Determined to see him, I went to the back stage door and asked if I could see Phil. Security told me that he was sorry but he couldn't let me in. I told him that I understood, but could he please do me a favor and tell Phil that Del Sinchak says, “Hello." The security guard relayed the message and Phil was so excited to see me that during the concert he insisted that I come on stage with him. While I was standing beside him, he told the audience, "If it weren't for this guy, I wouldn't be here tonight. He sold me my first guitar when I was in my teens."

As you well know, Phil is one of the greatest guitar players of our time, and it is clear from these earliest recordings that this trio was talented right out of the gate. I am proud that I may have had a little bit to do with his success.