Cleveland, TN–The Museum Center at 5ive Points, a regional history museum located in Cleveland, Tennessee, has announced plans to unveil a permanent exhibit on the history of the iconic Church Hymnal, commonly known as the “Red Back” hymnal.
Under the auspices of the Cleveland/Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, a committee was formed last year to explore the possibility of a museum exhibit that would address the Gospel music heritage of the area with a particular emphasis on the popular hymnal, which has been produced at the Church of God’s Pathway Press for the past 64 years.
Melissa Woody, vice president of the Chamber’s tourism development division, spearheaded the formation of the exploratory committee and has called upon the resources of several local Southern gospel artists, conductors, historians, community, and church leaders.
[1]“The Red Back Hymnal has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world and we want to share the story of this heritage which exists right here in our community,” Woody stated. “We have visitors that inquire with the Chamber about Cleveland and Bradley County for many things, and the history of this very popular hymnal has been a regular point of interest, particularly as it relates to the religious and Pentecostal heritage trails that pass through this region.” Woody was referencing two brochures produced several years ago by the Southeast Tennessee Tourism Association, “On the Glory Land Road” and “The Pentecostal Heritage Trail.” Both include several points of interest with historic ties to the Church of God.
The 410 pages of the Church Hymnal contain 429 songs. It was first published in 1951 by Tennessee Music & Printing Company, now Pathway Press, the publishing arm of the Church of God based in Cleveland, Tennessee. It contains standard hymns, traditional gospel songs, as well as Christmas and patriotic numbers.
“My church was one of many Baptist churches in the Southeast that utilize the Church Hymnal, known everywhere as the ‘Red-Back,’” said Brian Crout, author of the blog, Southern Gospel Critique. “I’ve been thinking recently about the impact this songbook has had on my Christian life, and the impact it has had on gospel music at large. Both are quite immeasurable.”
“What sets it (Church Hymnal) apart from many hymnals used in churches today are the convention songs,” Crout continued. “The first 150 or so pages of the Church Hymnal are an all-star roster of some of the greatest quartet and convention songs to come out of the 1930s and 1940s, written by giants of the genre like Albert Brumley, Vep Ellis, Luther Presley, Lee Roy Abernathy, and others. This is the music I cut my teeth on, and the music I still love today.”
The exhibit/display is in early development and plans are for a fall 2015 opening. Preliminary concepts include oral histories, the history of shaped notes, production, iconic authors and the hymnal’s impact across denominations. Fund-raising efforts are being directed toward local churches and “Red Back Singings,” scheduled across the Southeast.
“Like tens of thousands of Church of God and other denominational worshipers, my theology was shaped and affirmed by the words we sang from this book,” noted Church of God General Overseer Mark Williams. “What we believe about the love of God, the power of the blood of Christ, the influence of the Holy Spirit, the value of the fellowship of the church—all these and more were fortified in our thinking by the compelling hymns and gospel songs of the ‘Red back Hymnal.’ I look forward to viewing the exhibit.”
Several Red back Facebook pages exist, including a few for special Red Back singing events. The official page for the museum display proclaims the Red Back as “America’s best-loved hymnal.”
For more information, or if you have historical knowledge and/or contributions concerning the Church Hymnal that will benefit the exhibit, please contact Melissa Woody at mwoody@clevelandchamber.com.