Youngstown’s Keaggy joins list of gospel hall inductees

The local musician formed Glass Harp while still in high school.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Phil Keaggy — along with The Statler Brothers, the Winans, Larnelle Harris and Joe Moscheo — will be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the hall announced.

The artists will be inducted at a Gospel Music Association ceremony in Nashville on Oct. 29, the hall said Thursday.

Keaggy, an acclaimed guitarist, formed the rock trio Glass Harp while he was still in high school in Youngstown. The band recorded four albums for Decca Records and opened for many of the top rock acts of the day, including the Kinks, Alice Cooper, Chicago, Yes and Traffic. Keaggy left Glass Harp in 1972 to focus on contemporary Christian music.

Other inductees

The Statler Brothers — Harold Reid, Phil Balsley, Jimmy Fortune and Don Reid — began as backup for Johnny Cash and recorded a string of their own hits, including “Flowers on the Wall” and “Bed of Roses.”

During the 1990s, they hosted a weekly variety show on the cable channel The Nashville Network. They retired from touring in 2002.

The Winans were formed by Marvin, Carvin, Ronald and Michael Winans in the ’80s, following in the footsteps of their siblings BeBe and CeCe. They created a more urban contemporary sound that drew mainstream attention from R&B artists such as Anita Baker and Michael McDonald.

Harris has had 19 No. 1 radio singles, and many of his songs, such as “How Excellent Is Thy Name,” “I’ve Just Seen Jesus” and his signature song, “Amen,” are considered modern classics. He’s won five Grammy awards, 11 Dove Awards, a Stellar Award and several others.

Moscheo has been a musician, manager, songwriter, producer and author during more than 40 years in the industry. He started in 1964 as a singer and keyboard player with the Imperials and worked with Elvis Presley, Jimmy Dean, Roy Clark and Pat Boone and many others. He’s received multiple Grammy and Dove awards.