LaBreeska Hemphill

LaBreeska made her debut in gospel music at the age of nine when she first sang on stage with her mother and her mothers family. It was 1949 in the city of Nashville, Tennessee at the famous Ryman Auditorium where the monthly Friday night singings took place.

The Happy Goodman Family had a unique way of presenting the song Looking For A City by featuring each member of the large family (4 brothers & 4 sisters) one by one they appeared from back stage taking the lead on the chorus. Howard and three members of the family began the song as a quartet then when it looked as though the song would end another family member would step onto the stage into the spotlight singing as they came. This was repeated several times until every member of the family wound up on stage including the children. Each child would come out with his or her parent which in LaBreeska's case was her mother.

Born in Flat Creek, Alabama, a small coal mining town, in 1940, to Walter Erskine Rogers and Gussie Mae Goodman Rogers, LaBreeska made her entrance into a world of music. Her dad played guitar for local church services where both families attended and on occasion played for the Goodman Family when they sang specials. He also enjoyed sitting around in the house in the evenings picking and singing old Jimmy Rogers tunes and playing his harmonica.

Deep Christian faith and values were a constant in LaBreeska's life as well as music, thanks to her two spirit-filled grandmothers who raised her. Mama Goodman and Mama Rogers strongly embraced the love of Jesus and family which formed her firm foundation.

Joel & LaBreeska met and married in 1957. They settled in West Monroe where they were very active in Joel's home church. They immediately began launching out in a singing and preaching ministry when Joey, their first born was only six weeks old. Joel & LaBreeska as a duet signed their first recording contract in 1966 with Marvin Norcross and Canaan Records. Canaan was a division of Word, the largest religious recording company at that time. For over thirty years, this couple has continued to encourage, inspire, and bless all who have listened to their music with an unshakable focus on Calvary and the risen Saviour.

Twenty-one of those years were shared with their three talented and dedicated children Joey, Trent, and Candy. Today they have come full circle and just the two of the, are still carrying on with the ministry that they so love and were called to, preaching and singing the gospel. Songs of Restoration and Revival!