Keep the Fire

For the song, see Keep the Fire (song).

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	September 28, 1979
Recorded	1979
Studio	Filmways/Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, California; Santa Barbara Sound Recording, Santa Barbara, California
Genre	Pop 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)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[3]
Record Collector	[4]
Record Mirror	[5]

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".^[6] 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."^[7]

Film

The award-winning short film "Keep the Fire", by Jake Rice, is a fictionalized "Behind the Album Cover" story.^[8]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Harmony Vocals	Length
1.	"Love Has Come of Age"	Kenny Loggins		3:51
2.	"Mr. Night"	Loggins, Richard Stekol	George Hawkins, Stekol	3:20
3.	"This Is It"	Loggins, Michael McDonald	Mike Hamilton, Hawkins, McDonald	3:57
4.	"Junkanoo Holiday (Fallin'-Flyin')"	Loggins		4:30
5.	"Now and Then"	Jeff Bouchard, Loggins		3:52

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Harmony vocals	Length
1.	"Who's Right, Who's Wrong"	Loggins, Richard Page	Michael Jackson, Page	5:38
2.	"Keep the Fire"	Eva Ein, Loggins		4:34
3.	"Give It Half a Chance"	Stephen Bishop, Loggins	Jeff Bouchard, Hamilton, Hawkins	4:57
4.	"Will It Last"	Ein, Loggins		5:50

Personnel

• Kenny Loggins – lead and backing vocals, guitars, Sennheiser 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, California, and Santa Barbara Sound Recording (Santa Barbara, California).
• Mastering – Mike Fuller at Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida).
• 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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–80)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9]	95
US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard)	16

Year-end charts

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