Glass Harp -

Glass Harp was an American psych-rock band that made three albums in 1971/72 on Decca. Guitarist Phil Keaggy became a world-class virtuoso and a leading light in contemporary Christian music.

Members: Phil Keaggy (guitar), Daniel Pecchio (bass), John Sferra (drums), Steve Markulin (bass), Tim Burks (guitar), Randy Benson (violin), John Carrozzino

Background

Phil Keaggy emerged from the mid-1960s garage scene in Youngstown, Ohio, where he played in The Squires and briefly in The New Hudson Exit. In 1968, he partnered with longtime friend and drummer John Sferra to form Glass Harp with bassist Steve Markulin. The trio built a local following with steady gigs and released a single, “Where Did My World Come From?” (b/w “She Told Me”) on United Audio in 1969.

After Markulin’s departure to join The Human Beinz, Keaggy and Sferra briefly enlisted bassist John Carazino before settling on Daniel Pecchio, formerly of The Poppy. With Pecchio also contributing flute, the trio cut a new round of demos and signed with new management. By 1970, Glass Harp had become a live fixture in Northeast Ohio, performing regularly at Kent’s JB’s club amid the charged political climate. Their demos attracted producer Lewis Merenstein, who secured them a deal with Decca.

Glass Harp (debut)

Glass Harp released their self-titled debut album in February 1971 on Decca.

The album contains ten originals by guitarist Phil Keaggy, bassist Dan Pecchio, and drummer John Sferra. Keaggy composed “Children’s Fantasy” and co-wrote five tracks with either Pecchio (“Can You See Me,” “Whatever Life Demands”) or Sferra (“Southbound,” “On Our Own”), and all three collaborated on “Look In the Sky” and “Garden.” Sferra contributed “Changes (In the Heart of My Own True Love)” and “Black Horse,” while Pecchio submitted “Village Queen.”

Glass Harp features Keaggy on electric and acoustic guitars, Sferra on drums and acoustic guitar, and Pecchio on bass and flute. All three sing. Larry Fallon arranged strings on select tracks. John Cale plays viola on “Changes (In the Heart of My Own True Love).”

A1. “Can You See Me” (6:25) – Lyrically spiritual but musically elliptical, this slow-building piece layers vaporous textures, minor turns, and distant harmonies with mid-tempo rhythmic persistence.
A2. “Children’s Fantasy” (4:10)
A3. “Changes (In the Heart of My Own True Love)” (6:00) – This side-length suite moves through sharply segmented moods, merging layered orchestration with flute and extended viola passages.
A4. “Village Queen” (4:00)
A5. “Black Horse” (2:50) – A dry-toned, acoustic number with pastoral pacing and blended harmonies.

B1. “Southbound” (3:50)
B2. “Whatever Life Demands” (6:30)
B3. “Look In the Sky” (8:10) – A long-form performance with staggered phrasing, fluid breaks, and wide instrumental space.
B4. “Garden” (5:15) – Built on a breezy, clipped rhythm, this piece features dual vocal leads and swirling guitar patterns with flute and string accents.
B5. “On Our Own” (2:30)

Sessions occurred in November 1970 at Electric Lady Studios, New York, with producer Lewis Merenstein, also known for work with Van Morrison and Wendy & Bonnie. Staff engineer Ron Johnsen recorded Glass Harp amid sessions for releases by Ten Wheel Drive and Buzzy Linhart.

Glass Harp appeared in a single sleeve designed by Ernie Cefalu with photography by Bill Levy and Billy Bass. Original copies include a paper inner sleeve with silhouette portraits of the band on one side and printed lyrics on the reverse. Early Gloversville pressings date to 1970, prior to the album’s February 1971 release.

Decca lifted “Village Queen” as a single (b/w “Children’s Fantasy”).

Synergy

Glass Harp released their second album, Synergy, in October 1971 on Decca.

The album contains ten originals by the three members. Guitarist Phil Keaggy composed five tracks and co-wrote three (“Coming Home,” “Special Friends,” “Just Always”) with drummer John Sferra and bassist/flautist Dan Pecchio, who contributed “Never Is a Long Time,” and “Child of the Universe.”

Synergy features Keaggy on electric and acoustic guitars. Pecchio plays both bass guitar and flute, and sings across multiple tracks. Sferra handles drums, tambourine, acoustic guitar (“Just Always”), and one lead vocal ( “Special Friends”). Ralph McDonald contributes auxiliary percussion on four tracks, including congas, triangle, bells, and percussive effects. Mary Smith sings backing vocals on “Just Always.”

A1. “One Day at a Time” (3:40) – A spacious, slow-build opener anchored by interweaving guitar lines and spare vocals; largely instrumental
A2. “Never Is a Long Time” (3:25)
A3. “Just Always” (5:05)
A4. “Special Friends” (2:42) – A brisk rocker with layered vocals and fast guitar strums
A5. “Coming Home” (3:31)

B1. “Song of Hope” (4:21) – Rises from subdued pacing into a soaring midtempo showcase for Keaggy’s voice
B2. “Child of the Universe” (3:00)
B3. “Mountains” (2:54)
B4. “The Answer” (2:38)
B5. “Dawn of a New Day” (3:57)

Sessions occurred in August 1971 at Electric Lady Studios, New York, with producer Lewis Merenstein, known for his work with Van Morrison. Ralph Moss engineered the album with assistance from Bill Culhane, Gordon Shaad, and Tom Lubin.

Synergy appeared in a standard sleeve with design and photography by Bill Able, who also devised the cover concept. The front depicts abstract vertical shapes rendered in subdued blue and rust tones. The back shows the band posed with their instruments against a hazy landscape backdrop.

Decca lifted “Just Always” as the lead single (b/w “The Answer”). Though it did not chart nationally, the band’s growing profile brought them to stages such as Fillmore East, Winterland, and Carnegie Hall, where they opened for The Kinks in November 1971. A recording of this set was later issued as Live at Carnegie Hall.

It Makes Me Glad

Glass Harp released their third album, It Makes Me Glad, in August 1972 on Decca.

The album contains ten originals by Phil Keaggy, John Sferra, and Dan Pecchio. Sferra wrote three songs (“Sailing On a River,” “Colt,” “Sea and You”) and co-wrote “Let’s Live Together” with Keaggy and Pecchio. Pecchio contributed two (“See Saw,” “La De Da”), arranged the traditional hymn “Do Lord.” Keaggy composed “David & Goliath,” “I’m Going Home,” and “Song In the Air.”

It Makes Me Glad features Keaggy on lead and acoustic guitars. Sferra plays drums and acoustic guitar, while Pecchio handles bass, flute, and piano. All three share vocal duties and group-arranged the material.

A1. “See Saw” (2:12) — A pastoral flute-led ballad with measured pace and contemplative lyrics.
A2. “Sailing On a River” (3:38) — Keaggy’s guitar drives this tougher piece, rooted in rhythmic tension.
A3. “La De Da” (5:45)
A4. “Colt” (3:23)
A5. “Sea and You” (4:15) — A brooding number that showcases Sferra’s writing and tonal command.

B1. “David & Goliath” (2:50) — An instrumental with modal leanings and a gradual dynamic swell.
B2. “I’m Going Home” (2:40) — Brief funk-tinged rocker with sharp shifts in pulse.
B3. “Do Lord” (4:22) — A slow-building ensemble piece anchored by Keaggy’s guitar.
B4. “Song In the Air” (2:35)
B5. “Let’s Live Together” (3:50) — Closes the album with rapid vocal interplay and bright rhythmic propulsion.

Sessions occurred mid-1972 at Electric Lady Studios, New York, with producer Lewis Merenstein, who also oversaw the band’s prior two albums. Associate producer Ralph Moss assisted. Dick Shapiro engineered the album, which was lacquered at Sterling Sound and pressed at MCA’s Pinckneyville plant.

It Makes Me Glad appeared in a standard sleeve with a cover photo by Anastasia Pantsios and layout by Marge Walsh. The back cover features credits and a black-and-white band portrait. MCA managed manufacturing and distribution through Archaball Publishing Inc.

Decca lifted “La De Da” as the album’s single (b/w “David & Goliath”). This marked the final release by the original lineup. Keaggy left shortly after the album’s completion, with Glass Harp continuing under Sferra and Pecchio through 1973 with new members.

Postlude

Phil Keaggy played his final show with Glass Harp on August 6, 1972, at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, New York. He soon launched a solo career that would place him at the forefront of the Jesus music movement and, later, the global Contemporary Christian Music scene. Keaggy’s departure came just ahead of It Makes Me Glad, which had already been booked for promotional dates on the East Coast college circuit. To fulfill the tour, John Sferra and Daniel Pecchio enlisted guitarist Tim Burks as a replacement.

In April 1973, the lineup expanded with the addition of violinist Randy Benson, formerly of Cleveland folk-psych act Tiny Alice. This four-piece phase explored more progressive textures, drawing comparisons to King Crimson and The Moody Blues. Though studio and live radio tapes survive from this period, no official releases emerged. Benson exited in October, and the trio of Sferra, Pecchio, and Burks played one final show on December 2, 1973, at Norwalk High School in Ohio. After disbanding, Sferra and Burks formed the short-lived Hartship, while Pecchio joined the Michael Stanley Band.

Keaggy launched his solo career in 1973 with What a Day, an album of Christian folk on New Song Records.

Discography: