The Red-Back Hymnal (officially titled the Church Hymnal) is a legendary 410-page gospel songbook first published in 1951 by the Tennessee Music & Printing Company in Cleveland, Tennessee. Famous for its maroon cover, it remains a pillar of Southern Gospel music and rural church worship.
     The book is distinctively written in the seven-shape-note (“do-re-mi”) notation system. This visual learning system uses shaped noteheads to help amateur congregations sing complex four-part harmonies without formal training.
     The hymnal contains 429 selections, blending standard hymns with beloved convention and quartet songs from the 1930s and 1940s. It includes classics such as “I’ll Fly Away”, “Amazing Grace”, and “Just a Little Talk with Jesus”. Originally published by the Church of God, the songbook has sold millions of copies and transcended denominational lines, becoming a staple in Baptist, Pentecostal, and independent churches across Appalachia and the American South. (SoutheastTennessee.com)