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Keep the Fire is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, released in 1979.[1] 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".

Keep the Fire
Studio album by Kenny Loggins
Released	28 September 1979
Recorded	1979
Studio	Filmways/Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, CA; Santa Barbara Sound Recording, Santa Barbara, CA
Genre	Soft rock
Length	40:48
Label	Columbia
Producer	Tom Dowd
Kenny Loggins chronology
Nightwatch (1978) Keep the Fire (1979) Caddyshack: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (1980)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[2]
Record Collector	[3]
Rolling Stone[4]	(favorable)

Track listing

Personnel

• Kenny Loggins – lead and backing vocals, guitars, vocoder (7)
• Brian Mann – keyboards, horn arrangements (1, 3–6, 8, 9), accordion solo (5)
• Michael McDonald – acoustic piano (3), harmony vocals (3)
• Max Gronenthal – ARP synthesizer programming
• Mike Hamilton – guitars, backing vocals, harmony vocals (3, 8)
• Fred Tackett – acoustic guitar (8, 9)
• George Hawkins – bass guitar, backing vocals, harmony vocals (2, 3, 8)
• Tris Imboden – drums, percussion
• Milt Holland – percussion
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3)
• Jon Clarke – tambourine, English horn, flute, oboe, recorder, saxophone, horn arrangements (2, 7)
• Vince Denham – cabasa, saxophone, 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)

Production

• Producer – Tom Dowd
• Engineer – Steve Gersky
• Second Engineer – Michael Carnavale
• Recorded at Filmways/Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, CA, and Santa Barbara Sound Recording (Santa Barbara, CA).
• Mastering – Mike Fuller at Criteria Studios (Miami, FL).
• Guitar Synthesizer Technician – Wayne Williams
• Visual Coordinator – Tony Lane
• Design Concept – Kenny Loggins and Scott Thom
• Cover Painting – Scott Thom
• Cover Photography – Ed Caraeff
• Sleeve Photography – Eva Ein Loggins
• Crew – Mitch Miller, Johnny Pace and C. Wolfstock Wittenberg.
• Management – Larson & Recor Associates

Reception

Rolling Stone magazine described it 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".[4]

Legacy

The award-winning short film, "Keep the Fire" by Jake Rice serves as a fictionalized "Behind the Album Cover" story, detailing the origin of the glowing white orb in Kenny's hands on the cover and the people who were involved in the creation of his hit record. The film includes computer graphics enhanced dramatizations depicting Michael McDonald, Tom Dowd, George Daly, Scott Thom, and Eva Ein. It features musical performances of "This Is It" and the acoustic version of "What A Fool Believes" as performed by Loggins and McDonald on the live recording "Outside: Live From The Redwoods".[5]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–80)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6]	95
US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard)	16

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
US Billboard Top Albums[citation needed]	16

References

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