Changes

Having won eight Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, The Hemphills excelled on the music charts in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,<ref name=labreeska/> with multiple albums under, first, Canaan Records, and then mostly the Heartwarming Records label. Their 1967 album is ''The Country-Gospel Style of The Hemphills''. Later albums are ''Band of Light'' (1989) and ''Walking in the Light'' (2003). <ref name=sghistory>{{cite web|url=http://sghistory.com/index.php?n=H.Hemphills|title=The Hemphills: History|publisher=sghistory.com|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref> A reviewer for ''[[The Washington Post]]'' described one of The Hemphills concerts held at DAR Constitution Hall in [[Washington, D.C.]], accordingly: "Mrs. Hemphill has a powerful and convincing voice, and The Hemphills do not have one sit-still song in their repertoire.”<ref name=labreeska/>

Having won eight Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, The Hemphills excelled on the music charts in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,<ref name=labreeska/> with multiple albums under, first, Canaan Records, and then mostly the Heartwarming Records label. Their 1967 album is ''The Country-Gospel Style of The Hemphills''. Later albums are ''Band of Light'' (1989) and ''Walking in the Light'' (2003). <ref name=sghistory>{{cite web|url=http://sghistory.com/index.php?n=H.Hemphills|title=The Hemphills: History|publisher=sghistory.com|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref> A reviewer for ''[[The Washington Post]]'' described one of The Hemphills concerts held at DAR Constitution Hall in [[Washington, D.C.]], accordingly: "Mrs. Hemphill has a powerful and convincing voice, and The Hemphills do not have one sit-still song in their repertoire.”<ref name=labreeska/>

LaBreeska Rogers Hemphill was born to Walter Erskine Rogers and the former Gussie Mae Goodman, later Gussie Rudd (1923-1990), in Flat Creek in populous Jefferson County near [[Birmingham]], Alabama. She first sang at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville at the age of nine with her group, the Happy Goodman Family. Her uncle, Howard "Happy" Goodman (1921-2002), originated the family group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Hemphill&GSfn=LaBreeska&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=155845845&df=all&|title=LaBreeska Rogers Hemphill|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref> and had his own gospel singing group as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7068302|title=Howard Goodman|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref> Young LaBreeska performed during a  monthly all-night gospel sing at the Ryman. As she progressed in her singing career, she became known for "I Claim The Blood," "Grandma's Rocking Chair," and "Unfinished Tas."<ref name=labreeska/> 

LaBreeska Rogers Hemphill was born to Walter Erskine Rogers and the former Gussie Mae Goodman, later Gussie Rudd (1923-1990), in Flat Creek in populous Jefferson County near [[Birmingham]], Alabama. She first sang at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville at the age of nine with her group, the Happy Goodman Family. Her uncle, Howard "Happy" Goodman (1921-2002), originated the family group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Hemphill&GSfn=LaBreeska&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=155845845&df=all&|title=LaBreeska Rogers Hemphill|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref> and had his own gospel singing group as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7068302|title=Howard Goodman|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref> Young LaBreeska performed during a  monthly all-night gospel sing at the Ryman. As she progressed in her singing career, she became known for "I Claim The Blood," "Grandma's Rocking Chair," and "Unfinished Task."<ref name=labreeska/> 

In 2011, Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill were honored with an exhibit at  the [[Delta Music Museum]] in downtown Ferriday.<ref name=labreeska>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?pid=176855835|title=LaBreeska Hemphill|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=December 13, 2015|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref>

In 2011, Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill were honored with an exhibit at  the [[Delta Music Museum]] in downtown Ferriday.<ref name=labreeska>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?pid=176855835|title=LaBreeska Hemphill|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|date=December 13, 2015|accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref>

Late in 2015, LaBreeksa Hemphill died at the age of seventy-five in Nashville, Tennessee, after a two-year struggle with brain cancer. She is interred at Hasley Cemetery in West Monroe, Louisiana.<ref name=labreeska/> 

Late in 2015, LaBreeksa Hemphill died at the age of seventy-five in Nashville, Tennessee, after a two-year struggle with brain cancer. She is interred at Hasley Cemetery in West Monroe, Louisiana.<ref name=labreeska/>