The Steel Guitar Forum

Anytime I want something to play and learn, practice, the Red Book hymnal never fails. Whether pedal steel or piano.

We still use the old red book in our church next thing to the bible

Which red book hymnal are you referring to ?
I have a whole stack of hymnals, including several red ones.
Erv

Erv,

Might be "Sing Joyfully"...Tabernacle Publishing Co.

Red hard cover.

Erv, I reference the Tennessee Music and Printing of Cleaveland Tennessee, red hymnal. We used it when I was a child. Burgundy color and says Church Hymnal in gold letters on the front. I grew up attending The Church of God where we used it. I have also seen it used still in many Baptist churches today. I have since become a Baptist after marrying one.

Bill, where you been? I thought you died or was in jail. Butch in Taylorsville,NC

I have been traveling for work. I am retired now, my wife is supporting me.

Great music in that hymnal from Cleveland, Tennessee.

That is it. All (nearly) of the classic Southern Gospel songs from 20th century South

Thanks guys.
I'll see if I can't locate a copy.

Bill, we have something in common, I also am a Baptist.
I assume you are Southern Baptist, I like to call myself a Northern Baptist.
Our church belongs to the Baptist General Conference.
It was establish by Swedes who were exiled from Sweden because of their faith.
I love the Lord!
Erv

Erv, it seems we do. We are Southern Baptists. I also love the Lord, Whom, I do not deserve.

My Mother always was Pentecostal right up until she died. She never liked me going Baptist and got after me about it constantly.

One thing I am very grateful for being raised as Pentecostal is, they were very music-oriented and the music was usually up-tempo. Seemingly, every member there was a good musician and played something. Music was very central to every service and they always allowed, encouraged, kids that were learning to play instruments to take part. Even though sometimes we were pretty bad. Great memories for sure.

Sure do miss the old red back hymnal. Freewill Baptists used it too! It seems everyone has gone to p&w and have ditched the old gospel hymns. Maybe I’m just getting old. I’m sure folks 100 years ago thought it was bad that we weren’t using Bach and Mozart for worship... On another note, the rest of my fathers’ family were United Baptist. No music allowed in the church. Songs out of the Sweet Songster. Those folks sing like Indians howling a war cry !

My daughter leads singing in our church and we still do the old time hymns but she does slip in a newer song every once in a while.
None of those 7/11 songs though: 7 lyrics repeated 11 times!
All those old hymns and gospel songs were a 3 minute sermon unto themselves.
We have quite a few Mennonite families in our area and they are great singers but they don't allow instruments to be played in their services.
Every once in a while we have joint services and when they are at out little Baptist church on the hill, we use instruments and they sing right along.
Bless their hearts!
Erv

Baptist here as well boys.
Raised Southern Missionary Baptist, to Southern Baptist, to Baptist.
I still get to play the prelude on the grand piano every Sunday morning. All the old hymns from that Red Book.
We are blessed with a Bible preaching Pastor that preaches it right out of the Bible.
Here's our website, and some of his sermons.
https://www.facebook.com/eastmesabaptist/

When my wife and I first got married we moved to Littleton, Colorado and started looking around for a church.
We settled on a Baptist church in Littleton that, at the time, was meeting in an old Grange hall.
If anyone recalls, the Grange was one of the 1st farmer organizations.
The congregation was building a new church right next door to the Grange hall.
I played my Sho~Bud at the dedication service and a while later both my wife and myself were baptized and joined the church.
God it good, all the time!
Erv

PS: I found some copies of the hymnal on line.
I just ordered a new one from Pathway Press in Cleveland, Tennessee
There seems to be quite a resurgence in interest in the Red Book. People are getting tired of 7/11 songs!

My Dad almost got him, my Mom, and myself kicked out of the family when we left the Baptist church and became Episcopalians!

I used to joke that in the Episcopal Church, "Contemporary Christian Music" meant anything written after about 1600.

Lee,
I have a similar story.
My folks and I were members of a local Lutheran church and came to the conclusion that we didn't like the direction that denomination was headed so started attending a Baptist church.
I don't know if the Lutherans really missed us that much but they hated to see where we wound up!
Erv

I grew up with that hymnal. The one I have had for the past 20 years or so has a green cover.

I grew up with that hymnal. The one I have had for the past 20 years or so has a green cover.

You guys are making me laugh....thanks for the good humor !

The 1st time I recall playing in public was in a Lutheran church.
My mom fooled me into playing for her "ladies aid".
I had a little Gibson lap steel and I played a couple of numbers for the ladies.
I was using a fool volume control and I was SO nervous that my fool just shook!
I had to set the volume and take my foot off the control!
Erv

I was raised Pentecostal and still Pentecostal proud of it and was raised on the porch creek Indian resevation in southwest Alabama and a proud of my indian heritage. Dustin Rigbsy if you every here a real indian war cry it would scare you to death he he but i promise you want forget it the red back song book and the green is all we every knew some of those old songs are extremely sporty Dottie Rambo the Hindson just to name a few southern gospel groups we sang a lot of their songs some of these singers can make the hair stand up on your back young and old when the spirit gets to moving EVERY BODY gets a blessing nevery underestimate what a great gospel song and the right anointed singer can do when GOD gets in it Amen

I do not believe there is an instrument in all creation, except the human voice, that can stir me on a gospel song like the pedal steel guitar. Even with my pitiful attempts at the PSG and these songs...it still sometimes makes my eyes sweat.

I have a gospel CD by Billy Cooper in the player in my car that has been there for two years. My wife for some reason substitutes a radio station when she occasionally drives it. She and my daughter don't seem to have a great musical taste.

I love looking at Youtubes of the old sixties and seventies Jubilee programs and there was some pretty good pedal steel there. Of course, sometimes the cameraman would closeup the piano during the steel part for some reason. Go figure.

Every old gospel song or hymn is a three minute sermon unto itself.
Erv

Bill Duncan wrote:I do not believe there is an instrument in all creation, except the human voice, that can stir me on a gospel song like the pedal steel guitar.

Amen, brother!