Keep the Fire

Keep the Fire is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, released in 1979. It is perhaps best known for the hit single "This Is It". The song was co-written by Michael McDonald, who also performed on the track. Michael Jackson sings backup vocals on the track "Who's Right, Who's Wrong".

Reception

Rolling Stone described the album as "the new sound of Southern California: a sophisticated, diffuse, jazz-inflected pop rock performed by an augmented rock band in which guitar and keyboards share equal prominence" and "churning romantic atmosphere constructed around a matinee idol's voice". The Globe and Mail noted that, "occasionally, he stumbles into some of the good-time hokey rockin' fun that made such Loggins and Messina numbers as 'Your Mama Don't Dance' so nauseating."

Film

The award-winning short film "Keep the Fire", by Jake Rice, is a fictionalized "Behind the Album Cover" story.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians and vocalists

• Kenny Loggins – vocals, guitars, Sennheiser Vocoder (7)
• Brian Mann – keyboards, accordion solo (5)
• Max Gronenthal – ARP synthesizer programming
• Michael McDonald – acoustic piano (3), harmony vocals (3)
• Mike Hamilton – guitars, backing vocals, harmony vocals (3, 8)
• Fred Tackett – acoustic guitar (8, 9)
• George Hawkins – bass, backing vocals, harmony vocals (2, 3, 8)
• Tris Imboden – drums, percussion
• Milt Holland – percussion (1, 2, 4–9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3)
• Jon Clarke – tambourine, English horn, flute, oboe, recorder, saxophones
• Vince Denham – cabasa, saxophones, flute
• Michael Brecker – tenor sax solo (6)
• Richard Stekol – harmony vocals (2)
• Michael Jackson – harmony vocals (6)
• Richard Page – harmony vocals (6)
• Jeff Bouchard – harmony vocals (8)

Music arrangements

• Brian Mann – horn arrangements, string arrangements (5)
• Albhy Galuten – string arrangements (2, 8)
• Jon Clarke – horn arrangements (2, 7)

Production

• Tom Dowd – producer
• Steve Gersky – first engineer
• Michael Carnavale – second engineer
• Samii Taylor – second mix engineer
• Mike Fuller – mastering at Criteria Studios
• Wayne Williams – guitar synthesizer technician
• Tony Lane – visual coordinator
• Kenny Loggins – cover concept
• Scott Thom – cover concept, cover painting
• Ed Caraeff – cover photography
• Eva Ein Loggins – sleeve photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References