KEITHTIM ANDERSON
Waiting's End
True to its intriguing, reflective title, KeithTim Anderson’s debut solo piano album, Waiting’s End, is the culmination of a fascinating lifelong musical journey – and a fresh new beginning for the multi-talented artist.
The Beginning
Growing up in a small town outside of Eau Claire, WI, the pianist/composer/vocalist, the son of a father who was a junior high band instructor and a mother who taught piano, remembers only ever wanting to do one thing – sing! While developing these skills via a local boys’ choir, school bands and choirs, musicals and special church groups, he also took private piano lessons. Often, when he made a mistake while practicing, he would start experimenting with writing his own tunes. He enjoyed this improvised composing so much that he soon spent more time creating original compositions than practicing his actual lessons. Over time, he also began setting Scripture to music and wrote songs with lyrics by others as well as his own.
The New Album: Waiting's End - solo piano vol. 1
After many years as a successful songwriter and vocalist in a variety of dynamic professional settings, Anderson has returned to the emotional purity of fashioning beautiful and heartfelt piano compositions. From the opening track “Autumn Rain” through the closing title track, the collection flows with uncommon sensitivity and grace, taking us on a compelling journey of deep soul expression, full of reflection and longing, from vulnerability and melancholy to an ultimate, life and spirit affirming testament of hope.
While the Nashville based Anderson hopes that every listener can find a personal connection to these songs based on their own life experience, for him, the music, like everything in his life, is grounded in his deep faith. On a previous vocal album called Refuge, he created songs of Scripture and hymn lyrics set to original music. In the packaging of Waiting’s End, he intuitively connects each song thematically to a Scripture related to its title, i.e. “Autumn Rain” with “He gives the autumn rain to show His faithfulness (Joel 2:23b) and “Long Ago” with Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning…”).
“The album has an overall concept of being healing, calming and reflective music,” says Anderson. “Yet in some ways, it is a collection of musical snapshots, each song being distinct from the others, yet cohesive as a whole. One person said that they really appreciate the fact that there aren't songs that stick out as being too loud or vastly different in nature. All of it reflects my deep commitment to my faith in God. The reason I can create music at all is because He has gifted me in such a way as to be able to do it. So, I want to acknowledge Him in all that I do, think and create.”
Timing
The irony about Anderson’s emergence as a solo piano artist is that, while he has always played it as an accompanying instrument throughout his career, he hadn’t really planned on doing a full album of instrumental piano compositions just yet. In late 2017, he wrote a piano tune he really liked, quickly followed by another. In November that year, he went back home to Wisconsin to give a Thanksgiving concert at his parents’ church, but lost his voice due to laryngitis. Unable to sing, he played these two pieces as part of a short concert and they were very well received.
Returning to Nashville, he continued composing piano tunes and released demo versions of the pieces that became “Photographs” and “Rest Awhile” on Facebook and on his local community social media platform. The overwhelmingly positive response, as well as the encouragement from his longtime co-writer, songwriter Heather Field, convinced him to temporarily set aside his latest vocal project and focus on a piano album.
“The fact that I was enjoying it so much and that the people around me were so supportive gave me the go-ahead that I needed to do it,” he says. “I also knew that because there was only one instrument involved, that I would be able to get it finished and released!”
Background
Anderson brings a fascinating multi-faceted background to his latest musical incarnation. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with an Education Degree in vocal music and a minor in piano, he took a position as choral music director while continuing to compose piano music and set Scripture and lyrics to music. Soon after he had several songs placed with major Christian music companies, he started performing with his brother Nathan as a duo at churches, universities, coffeehouses and festivals. Adding a bass player and drummer, they began performing as Look Beyond.
At the time he released his first CD, Refuge, he was also serving as choral music director at a Christian high school. After having several songs recorded by The Continental Singers, Integrity Music and Truth, he moved to Nashville with Nathan and his family to pursue his career as a singer/songwriter. Not long after, he had songs recorded by Brentwood Music and Lifeway and scored a gig playing keyboard and singing at a local church. While serving as that church’s music coordinator, he met Field and began a prolific co-writing relationship. Since then, he’s continued to grow as a songwriter while working “day jobs” doing customer service, data management, video production, studio recording and various other endeavors.
Lessons and What's Ahead
“Though I was impatient to get my music out there and be ministering to others through my music, God had trials for me to walk through and lessons for me to learn, refining my faith and teaching me patience,” he says. “My ultimate intention as an artist is to record and perform both original solo piano music and vocal songs so that people will experience peace, healing, inspiration and even a little mystery in their lives, all leading them to experience more of the beauty and wonder that God has for all of us, ultimately drawing us to Himself.”
