Wednesday, May 25, 2022
No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE
The Chimney Rock Chronicle
61 °f
Broadway
66 ° Thu
69 ° Fri
62 ° Sat
66 ° Sun
72 ° Mon
  • Home
    • Pickup Locations & Sponsors
  • Columns
    • All
    • Book Notes
    • Eating Well in the Real World
    • Fishing with Mike
    • From the Potting Shed
    • Fulks Run Follies
    • Headlines from Plains Museum
    • Local Business
    • Local Legends
    • Musings from the Woodpile
    • Personal & Professional Development
    • Randy's Ramblings
    • Reflections from a Fuller Life
    • Sarah's Recipes
    • The Gospel Vault
    • The View From Here
    • The Wandering Wilkins
    • When This You See
    Sarah’s Recipes

    Sarah’s Recipes

    When This You See … Think of Me

    When This You See … Think of Me

    Bill and his cake at the Broadway Emergency Squad

    Celebrating Bill Miller

    Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

    Fulks Run Follies

    C.W., Jerry, Jodie, and Whit Grandle

    Generations of Families Depend on Grandle Funeral Home, Inc.

    Rainboots

    Headlines From Plains District Memorial Museum

    The Wandering Wilkins

    Farming with Jacob Fawley

    Farming with Jacob Fawley

    Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

    Bass Fishing With Mike

    Photograph of Wes Dove

    Connected by Heart Strings

    Rockingham Driving School owners

    May Business Spotlight – Rockingham Driving Institute LLC

    Sarah’s Recipes

    Sarah’s Recipes

    When This You See … Think of Me

    When This You See … Think of Me

    Photograph of Cub Run Repair Man working on big truck

    Cub Run Repair LLC

    Photograph of John M. Coffman's shop

    How I Got Interested in Woodturning

    Trending Tags

    • Entertainment
      • All
      • Festivals
      • Kids Activites
      • Music
      • Off Broadway Players
      • Sports
      • Upcoming Events
      Christine Jergeson points out something in the rain gardens to children.

      New Market Area Library News for May 2022

      Fallbush Critters Plates

      Fulks Run Elementary School Fundraiser

      Neil Marrin

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Band Notes

      Turkey Hunting in the Runion’s Creek Area

      Turkey Hunting in the Runion’s Creek Area

      A gift to JFH Band alumni….

      Music is for EVERYONE!

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

      HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      • Off Broadway Players
    • News
    • Lifestyle
      • All
      • Church
      • food
      • Health
      • Travel
      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Photograph of George Bowers

      Hunting Turkeys, Finding God

      The Wandering Wilkins

      Photograph of Wes Dove

      Connected by Heart Strings

      Standing Firm in Tough Times (Part 5)

      A gift to JFH Band alumni….

      Music is for EVERYONE!

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Photograph of John M. Coffman's shop

      How I Got Interested in Woodturning

      Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

      Fulks Run Follies

      Photograph of George Bowers

      Jesus In The Olive Press

      Trending Tags

      • Golden Globes
      • Mr. Robot
      • MotoGP 2017
      • Climate Change
      • Flat Earth
    • Advertising
    • Home
      • Pickup Locations & Sponsors
    • Columns
      • All
      • Book Notes
      • Eating Well in the Real World
      • Fishing with Mike
      • From the Potting Shed
      • Fulks Run Follies
      • Headlines from Plains Museum
      • Local Business
      • Local Legends
      • Musings from the Woodpile
      • Personal & Professional Development
      • Randy's Ramblings
      • Reflections from a Fuller Life
      • Sarah's Recipes
      • The Gospel Vault
      • The View From Here
      • The Wandering Wilkins
      • When This You See
      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      When This You See … Think of Me

      When This You See … Think of Me

      Bill and his cake at the Broadway Emergency Squad

      Celebrating Bill Miller

      Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

      Fulks Run Follies

      C.W., Jerry, Jodie, and Whit Grandle

      Generations of Families Depend on Grandle Funeral Home, Inc.

      Rainboots

      Headlines From Plains District Memorial Museum

      The Wandering Wilkins

      Farming with Jacob Fawley

      Farming with Jacob Fawley

      Bass Fishing with Mike – December 2021

      Bass Fishing With Mike

      Photograph of Wes Dove

      Connected by Heart Strings

      Rockingham Driving School owners

      May Business Spotlight – Rockingham Driving Institute LLC

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      When This You See … Think of Me

      When This You See … Think of Me

      Photograph of Cub Run Repair Man working on big truck

      Cub Run Repair LLC

      Photograph of John M. Coffman's shop

      How I Got Interested in Woodturning

      Trending Tags

      • Entertainment
        • All
        • Festivals
        • Kids Activites
        • Music
        • Off Broadway Players
        • Sports
        • Upcoming Events
        Christine Jergeson points out something in the rain gardens to children.

        New Market Area Library News for May 2022

        Fallbush Critters Plates

        Fulks Run Elementary School Fundraiser

        Neil Marrin

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        Band Notes

        Turkey Hunting in the Runion’s Creek Area

        Turkey Hunting in the Runion’s Creek Area

        A gift to JFH Band alumni….

        Music is for EVERYONE!

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

        HEADLINES From Plains District Memorial Museum

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

        • Off Broadway Players
      • News
      • Lifestyle
        • All
        • Church
        • food
        • Health
        • Travel
        Sarah’s Recipes

        Sarah’s Recipes

        Photograph of George Bowers

        Hunting Turkeys, Finding God

        The Wandering Wilkins

        Photograph of Wes Dove

        Connected by Heart Strings

        Standing Firm in Tough Times (Part 5)

        A gift to JFH Band alumni….

        Music is for EVERYONE!

        Sarah’s Recipes

        Sarah’s Recipes

        Photograph of John M. Coffman's shop

        How I Got Interested in Woodturning

        Photograph of Ronnie Fulk

        Fulks Run Follies

        Photograph of George Bowers

        Jesus In The Olive Press

        Trending Tags

        • Golden Globes
        • Mr. Robot
        • MotoGP 2017
        • Climate Change
        • Flat Earth
      • Advertising
      No Result
      View All Result
      The Chimney Rock Chronicle
      Subscribe
      Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors!
      Home Columns The Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault – February 2022

      The Hemphills – Southern Gospel Family-Style

      by Chris Runion
      February 1, 2022
      in Chris Runion, Church, Columnists, Columns, Lifestyle, The Gospel Vault
      0
      0
      SHARES
      0
      VIEWS
      Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

      As someone with a passion for southern gospel history, I feel it is often my duty to break down false pretenses about the genre; one of those being that ‘classic’ southern gospel is just ‘four guys and a piano.’ Even from the beginning, southern gospel has been filled with a number of family groups – the Chuck Wagon Gang, the LeFevres, the Happy Goodmans, the Hinsons, the Speers, and this month we’ll explore one that I feel has been lost among much of today’s southern gospel audience – the Hemphills.

      First, let’s get the pronunciation down. They are the ‘Hemp-hills’, the ‘ph’ does not become an ‘f’. With that underway, let’s explore this family that dominated the southern gospel scene in the 1970s and 1980s…

      The Hemphills were originally from Louisiana before eventually moving to Nashville. Headed by Joel Hemphill, the group consisted of his wife LaBreeska, sons Trent and Joel Jr. (Joey), and their daughter Candy. LaBreeska was the daughter of Gussie Mae Goodman, sister to Howard, Rusty, and Sam Goodman of the Happy Goodmans.

      This Goodmans connection is interesting to note. Joel Hemphill, originally a pastor, was a songwriter, and on the Goodmans 1967 recording Bigger ‘n’ Better, we find one of the first recordings of a Joel Hemphill song – “Not In A Million Years”. That same year, the Hemphills would release their very first album on Canaan Records – The Country Gospel Style Of Joel & LaBreeksa. This was just Joel and LaBreeska – their children were still all under the age of ten. The duo would release their second recording, In Gospel Country, in 1968. This album featured Joel’s classic “Pity The Man”.

      Beginning in 1969, the Hemphills became a group. But still, Trent, Joey, and Candy were too young to join their parents on stage. So, Joel turned to his nephew Tim McKeithen and his wife Dixie. Thus, the ‘Singing Hemphills’ were created – Joel, LaBreeska, Tim, and Dixie.

      During the early seventies, the group recorded a number of songs written by Joel that are still occasionally recorded to this day, including “An Unfinished Task”, “I’ll Soon Be Gone”, “Ready To Leave”, and “Sing The Glory Down”.

      In 1975, the Hemphills recorded what would actually be their second live concert recording, One Live Family. This two-record set would emphasize the ‘family’ aspect, as this is when the Hemphills’ children began to sing as part of the group. Candy, then about 14 years old, performs “I Came On Business For The King”, a song written by her dad. Candy’s recording would reach #10 nation-wide on the Singing News Chart.

      As the 1970s progressed, Tim and Dixie McKeithen would depart the Hemphills (eventually launching their own group, the McKeithens), and they became a true family group of Joel, LaBreeska, Candy, Joey, and Trent. What set the group apart was Joel’s songwriting – it was rare to find a Hemphills recording that had a song written by a non-Hemphill. Joey, Candy, and Trent would occasionally write their own songs as well. Hits of the late seventies included “Open My Eyes”, “Consider The Lilies”, and “I’m In This Church” – which would go #1 in Singing News.

      In 1980, the Hemphills released Workin’, which produced another #1 song that you just might be familiar with – “He’s Still Working On Me”. Listeners could expect a new album every year from the Hemphills during the 1980s, with songs like “Good Things”, “It Wasn’t Raining When Noah Built The Ark”, “Master of the Wind”, “I Can Smile”, “Let’s Have A Revival”, and “Ring The Bells”.

      The Hemphills did an interesting bit of marketing for their 1983 Louisiana Live recording. Featured on the album was a song titled “I’m Not Perfect, Just Forgiven”, which was inspired by a bumper sticker. Thus, the Hemphills launched a contest, asking fans to send in their favorite bumper stickers. The winner would receive…a chance to go alligator hunting with Joel Hemphill (remember, the group was originally from Louisiana). The winner drawn was an eight-year-old, who was accompanied by her father on the trip. (Her winning entry was “I Like Jesus Better Than Ice Cream”).

      Then, in 1990, the Hemphills decided to retire from touring. This definitely shocked many fans, as the group’s popularity certainly had not waned. Joel would continue songwriting, and he and LaBreeska would release a number of duo projects in the 1990s. Candy would pursue a solo career, and Joey and Trent would launch Hemphill Brothers Motor Coach Company. LaBreeska passed away in December of 2015.

      I decided to cover the Hemphills today not just because of their significance to southern gospel in the 1970s and 1980s, but also to point out how little of their music In total, the Hemphills recorded 22 albums, only 2 of which were made available on CD – Celebration (1989) and Hemphills Hits (1990) (which is actually a collection of re-recordings of previous hits). The remaining 20 projects are only on vinyl and cassette. While a few tracks did surface on “Best Of” CDs from the Benson Company in the 1990s, much of the Hemphills music remains out-of-reach to this day….unless you’ve got a turntable and (almost) all of their albums at your disposal, which is the case at WBTX.

      Chris Runion

      Chris Runion

      Chris Runion, a 2020 graduate of EMU, is an on-air personality at WBTX in Broadway, heard weekdays 8:00am to 10:00am on 1470 AM and 102.1 FM. He may be reached via email – crunion@wbtxradio.com.

      Next Post
      Steel Mill Gym – Business Spotlight

      Steel Mill Gym - Business Spotlight

      Latest Articles

      Christine Jergeson points out something in the rain gardens to children.
      Community

      New Market Area Library News for May 2022

      by Pat McNally
      May 9, 2022
      0

      Families with preschool children, mark your calendars for New Market Library's Children's Storytimes for May, 2022. Books and Babies: Friday, May 6, 10 am,...

      Read more
      Fallbush Critters Plates

      Fulks Run Elementary School Fundraiser

      May 9, 2022
      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      May 9, 2022
      Book Notes — Some Virginia Writers

      Timberville Historic Notes

      May 9, 2022
      When This You See … Think of Me

      When This You See … Think of Me

      May 9, 2022

      News & Story Ideas

      Let us know what's important & interesting too you!
      Article Type(Required)
      Your Name(Required)
      • About Us
      • Advertising
      • Contact
      • Pick Up Locations & Sponsors

      © 2021 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • Non-Profit
      • For Sale
      • Employment
      • National
      • Entertainment
      • Festivals
      • Kids Activites
      • Music
      • Sports
      • Church
      • Lifestyle
      • Travel
      • Tech
      • Health
      • Food

      © 2021 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.