Biography CeCe Winans
Priscilla Winans Love (born on October 8, 1964) amd known professionally as CeCe Winans, is an American Gospel singer and winner of numerous Grammy Awards and Stellar Awards.
BeBe and CeCe left PTL to pursue their singing career and recorded four more albums including Heaven, Different Lifestyles, First Christmas, and Relationships. In 1995, BeBe and CeCe split up to pursue solo careers and other interests. They would later release a reunion album in early 2008.
In 1999, Winans started her own recording company, "PureSprings Gospel". Her first album on the label was Alabaster Box in 1999. Some production of the disc was done by Gospel singer and musician, Fred Hammond. It included a guest appearance by Take 6. In 2000 Cece released a concert VHS titled Live At The Lambs Theater in New York. The concert contained songs from her previous albums. Winans released her next album, the self titled CeCe Winans, in 2001. The single "Anybody Wanna Pray" included a guest appearance by GRITS. The second single, "Say A Prayer" crossed over into the CCM market.
Winans took a two year break from releasing albums and returned in 2003 with Throne Room. The first 1,000 copies were issued with a bonus CD that contained exclusive interviews with the artist, the making of the CD, some touring footage, and the music video "More Than What I Wanted" (which came from the 2001 release). In 2004, the 25 city tour Throne Room featured free admission and was followed with a DVD release of the concert recorded in Tennessee near CeCe's place of residence. Live In the Throne Room contained tracks from all of Winans' albums. Around September 2004, Winans experienced what she thought was a flu but turned out to be a serious stomach infection and was hospitalized immediately for surgery. Due to the extended recovery time, the second half of the Throne Room Tour was postponed to early 2005.
Winans' 7th album, Purified, was released in 2005. Keith Thomas in conjunction with CeCe's nephew, Mario Winans did the production. Winans' son Alvin III is credited with song writing on the album. CeCe's younger sisters, Angie and Debbie, also appeared on the album.
BeBe and CeCe performed their classic song "Hold Up The Light" with one of CeCe's former background vocalists, Melinda Doolittle, on the 2007 American Idol finale.
It has been confirmed on her website that a renuion album with BeBe is scheduled for release in early 2008. PureSprings also announced that Winans is recording another solo album expected to be released in late 2007. PureSprings Gospel Homepage. In early 2006, Winans stated that her next album after Purified would be a holiday album but PureSprings Gospel has not yet confirmed this. CeCe Winans Q&A On her website, Winans confirmed her next studio album would be called Hymns at Heart
Winans will be one of the hosts of the 2008 Stellar Awards alongside Kirk Franklin and Byron Cage Stellar Awards Homepage.
CeCe's collection of Top Ten R&B radio hits include "Count on Me", her duet with Whitney Houston, from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. The single was certified Gold in the U.S. and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #8 on the Billboard R&B Singles charts.
CeCe is a good friend of Whitney Houston as well as godmother to her child.
CeCe Winans
Early life
CeCe Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan to David and Delores ("Mom" and "Pop") Winans. She's the eighth of ten children, and the oldest of three girls. She grew up in Detroit in a low income household (Prior to Cece's birth, the family had lived in a housing project). CeCe was very active in her church, singing in the church choir.Musical career
BeBe & CeCe
Around the time that Winans had been accepted to college, the television show "The PTL Club" (now known as "Praise the Lord") took interest in her and her brother Benjamin(BeBe) as potential background vocalists for the show. They were accepted after going to North Carolina to audition. BeBe and CeCe moved to the PTL campus in North Carolina, and were on the show for about five years. It was during this time that CeCe met her husband, Alvin Love, Jr. who was also from Detroit. During their time on The PTL Club, BeBe & CeCe recorded Lord Lift Us Up on PTL's label following popular demand on the show. The success yielded another effort, "Feels Like Heaven (With You)". Eventually the success warranted another effort: a full length album.BeBe and CeCe left PTL to pursue their singing career and recorded four more albums including Heaven, Different Lifestyles, First Christmas, and Relationships. In 1995, BeBe and CeCe split up to pursue solo careers and other interests. They would later release a reunion album in early 2008.
Solo career
CeCe began her solo career with the Gold certified album Alone in His Presence. It was released in 1995 and earned her a Grammy Award and 2 Dove Awards including the Female Vocalist of the Year, an award she earned again in 1997. Winans' next release, Everlasting Love was released in 1998. The song "On That Day" from the ablum was written and produced by R&B singer Lauryn Hill. Later that year, Winans released His Gift a holiday album.In 1999, Winans started her own recording company, "PureSprings Gospel". Her first album on the label was Alabaster Box in 1999. Some production of the disc was done by Gospel singer and musician, Fred Hammond. It included a guest appearance by Take 6. In 2000 Cece released a concert VHS titled Live At The Lambs Theater in New York. The concert contained songs from her previous albums. Winans released her next album, the self titled CeCe Winans, in 2001. The single "Anybody Wanna Pray" included a guest appearance by GRITS. The second single, "Say A Prayer" crossed over into the CCM market.
Winans took a two year break from releasing albums and returned in 2003 with Throne Room. The first 1,000 copies were issued with a bonus CD that contained exclusive interviews with the artist, the making of the CD, some touring footage, and the music video "More Than What I Wanted" (which came from the 2001 release). In 2004, the 25 city tour Throne Room featured free admission and was followed with a DVD release of the concert recorded in Tennessee near CeCe's place of residence. Live In the Throne Room contained tracks from all of Winans' albums. Around September 2004, Winans experienced what she thought was a flu but turned out to be a serious stomach infection and was hospitalized immediately for surgery. Due to the extended recovery time, the second half of the Throne Room Tour was postponed to early 2005.
Winans' 7th album, Purified, was released in 2005. Keith Thomas in conjunction with CeCe's nephew, Mario Winans did the production. Winans' son Alvin III is credited with song writing on the album. CeCe's younger sisters, Angie and Debbie, also appeared on the album.
BeBe and CeCe performed their classic song "Hold Up The Light" with one of CeCe's former background vocalists, Melinda Doolittle, on the 2007 American Idol finale.
It has been confirmed on her website that a renuion album with BeBe is scheduled for release in early 2008. PureSprings also announced that Winans is recording another solo album expected to be released in late 2007. PureSprings Gospel Homepage. In early 2006, Winans stated that her next album after Purified would be a holiday album but PureSprings Gospel has not yet confirmed this. CeCe Winans Q&A On her website, Winans confirmed her next studio album would be called Hymns at Heart
Winans will be one of the hosts of the 2008 Stellar Awards alongside Kirk Franklin and Byron Cage Stellar Awards Homepage.
Books
CeCe has authored three books: On A Positive Note, a collection of her memoirs released August 1, 2000; and Throne Room: Ushered Into the Presence of God, a devotional released January 1, 2004 and co-authored with Claire Cloninger. Always Sisters: Becoming the Princess You Were Created to Be, released on July 17, 2007 and co-written with Claudia Mair Burney.Discography
- Albums with BeBe Winans
- See BeBe & CeCe Winans Discography
- Solo albums
| Sales = | Certification = | Tracks = | Bonus tracks = | Singles = "Every Time"}} "What About You", "Slippin" }}
- Other Albums
- Guest appearances & Soundtracks
- Patti LaBelle: "Walking Away (featuring CeCe Winans)" (Umbrella, 2006)
- CeCe Winans: "He Set My Life To Music" She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool (BNA, 2006)
- BeBe Winans: "Tonight Tonight (featuring CeCe Winans)" (Motown, 2000)
- Various Artists: "Humanity" The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack (Dreamworks, 1998)
- CeCe Winans: "The River" The Prince Of Egypt: Inspirational (Dreamworks, 1998)
- CeCe Winans: "All Is Well Tonight" God With Us: A Celebration Of Christmas Carols... (Sparrow, 1997)
- CeCe Winans: "Take Me Back" Tribute: The Songs Of Andrae Crouch (Warner Alliance, 1996)
- CeCe Winans & Whitney Houston: "Count on Me" (Arista, 1996)
- CeCe Winans: "Rest In Me" Coram Deo II: People Of Praise (Sparrow, 1994)
Videography
- Concerts
- Music Videos
- "Count on Me" (Whitney Houston & CeCe Winans) (1996)
- "Well Alright" (1998)
- "More Than What I Wanted" (2001)
- "Purified" (2006)
- Television Appearances
- List includes acting appearances only, not interviews and/or performances
- CeCe's Place (aired on the Odyssey channel)
- 7th Heaven
- Touched By an Angel At Home With CeCe Winans Part 2- Ebony Magazine
- Living Single
- Doc
- Other
Awards
CeCe has received 9 Grammy Awards, 21 Grammy Award nominations, 18 Dove Awards and numerous Stellar Awards.- Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female: "For Always" (1987)
- Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female: "Don't Cry" (1989)
- Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: Different Lifestyles (1991)
- Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: Alone In His Presence (1995)
- Grammy for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: CeCe Winans (2001)
- Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: Purified (2006)
- Grammy for Best Gospel Performance: "Pray" (2006)
- Stellar for Best Music Video: "Purified" (2007)
- Stellar for Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year (2007)
CeCe's collection of Top Ten R&B radio hits include "Count on Me", her duet with Whitney Houston, from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. The single was certified Gold in the U.S. and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #8 on the Billboard R&B Singles charts.
Personal life
CeCe now resides in Forest Hills, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville) with her husband Alvin Love Jr and two children, Ashley and Alvin III. CeCe's children were featured in the BeBe & CeCe Winans music video "If Anything Ever Happened to You". Alvin III also appeared in the music video for "Well, Alright." They attend Born Again Church in Nashville, where CeCe is on the worship team and her kids are involved in the drama ministry.CeCe is a good friend of Whitney Houston as well as godmother to her child.
External links
- www.cecewinans.com - Official CeCe Winans Internet site
See also
- CeCe Winans albums
- BeBe and CeCe Winans albums
- The Winans Family
Further reading
Winans, CeCe: On A Positive Note (August 1, 2000)References
1964 birthsAmerican gospel singersUrban contemporary gospel musiciansGospel artists from DetroitGrammy Award winnersLiving peopleMichigan musical groupsCeCe Winans
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CeCe Winans
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
Links
http://www.sonorika.com/cecewinans/biographyhttp://www.bioandlyrics.com/cecewinans
