Artist Library / Bebe & Cece Winans

Bebe & Cece Winans

Also known as Bebe & Cece

Formed1982

OriginDetroit

CountryUnited States

377,815Spotify followers

48/100Spotify popularity

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Biography

Musical career

BeBe and CeCe (Main article: BeBe and CeCe Winans)

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Around 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 and CeCe recorded Lord Lift Us Up on PTLs 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. However CeCe Winans official website indicates that the two will release a reunion album in 2008.[1] BeBe and CeCe performed their classic song "Hold Up The Light" with one of CeCes former background vocalists, Melinda Doolittle, on the 2007 American Idol finale. Winans co-hosted the 2008 Stellar Awards alongside Kirk Franklin and Byron Cage in January 2008.[2]

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 album was written and produced by R and 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 CeCes 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. [3]

Winans 7th album Purified was released in 2005. Producers on board for the project were longtime BeBe and CeCe collaborator Keith Thomas, and CeCes nephew Mario Winans. Winans son Alvin III also co-writes several songs on the album and younger sisters Angie and Debbie Winans make an appearance as well.

CeCes collection of Top Ten R and 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 and B Singles charts. She has also released her 8th Album Thy Kingdom Come on April 1st, to feature the single "Waging War."[5][1] The first single released from the album "Thy Will Be Done," was released digitally on iTunes on April 1, 2008

Upcoming releases:

It has been confirmed on her website that a reunion album with BeBe is scheduled for release in early 2009. [1] In early 2006, Winans stated that she would follow Purified with a holiday album.[4]

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.

In 2009, CeCe announced her support for a multicultural Christian education curriculum from Abingdon Press, entitled "On the Move: Gods Grace from Place to Place."

Personal life:

CeCe now resides in Forest Hills, Tennessee [5] (a suburb of Nashville) with her husband Alvin Love and two children, Ashley and Alvin III. CeCes children were featured in the BeBe and 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. [5] CeCe is a good friend of Whitney Houston as well as godmother to her child. [6]

[edit]Discography

Albums with BeBe Winans

See BeBe and CeCe Winans Discography

Solo albums

Alone In His Presence

Released: October 10, 1995

Label: Sparrow Records

Chart position: Billboard 200 #124 [7]

Singles: "Every Time"

Everlasting Love

Released: March 17, 1998

Label: Pioneer Music Group/Atlantic Records

Chart position: Billboard R and B #35, Billboard 200 #107 [7]

Singles: "Well Alright" (Billboard R and B #47), [8] "What About You", "Slippin", "I Am"

His Gift

Released: September 15, 1998

Label: Pioneer Music Group/Atlantic Records

Alabaster Box

Released: October 19, 1999

Label: WellSpring Gospel

Chart position: Billboard R and B #55, Billboard 200 #129 [7]

Singles: "It Wasnt Easy", "King Of Kings (Hes A Wonder)", "Alabastar Box"

CeCe Winans

Released: June 19, 2001

Label: WellSpring Gospel

Chart position: Billboard R and B #48, Billboard 200 #116 [7]

Singles: "More Than What I Wanted" (Billboard R and B #65), [8] "Say A Prayer", "For Love Alone"

Throne Room

Released: September 9, 2003

Label: PureSprings Gospel

Chart position: Billboard R and B #21, Billboard 200 #32 [7]

Singles: "Hallelujah Praise"

Purified

Released: September 13, 2005

Label: PureSprings Gospel/INO/Epic/Sony

Chart position: Billboard R and B #12, Billboard 200 #41 [7]

Singles: "All That I Need", "Pray", "Let Everything That Hath Breath" (Billboard Dance #8) [8], "Hes Concerned"

Thy Kingdom Come

Released: April 1, 2008

Format: CD

Label: PureSprings Gospel

Singles: "Thy Will Be Done," "Waging War," "It Aint Over"

Other Albums

CeCe Winans Presents The Born Again Church Choir

Released: 2003

CeCe Winans Presents Pure Worship

Released: October 28, 2008

Label: EMI Gospel

CeCe Winans Presents Kingdom Kidz

Released: August 28, 2007

Guest appearances and Soundtracks

BeBe and CeCe Winans with Vince Gill and Wynonna Judd: "Right Now (We Need Another)" (Zomba Recording, 2008)

Patti LaBelle: "Walking Away (featuring CeCe Winans)" (Umbrella, 2006)

CeCe Winans: "He Set My Life To Music" She Was Country When Country Wasnt 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 and Whitney Houston: "Count on Me" (Arista, 1996)

CeCe Winans: "Rest In Me" Coram Deo II: People Of Praise (Sparrow, 1994)

[edit]Videography

Concerts

Live At The Lambs Theater in New York (Recorded At: Lambs Theater in New York City)

Released: 2000

Format: VHS

Live In The Throne Room (Recorded At: Cornerstone Church in Brentwood, TN)

Released: 2004

Format: DVD

Music Videos

"Count on Me" (Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans) (1996)

"Well Alright" (1998)

"More Than What I Wanted" (2001)

"Purified" (2006)[9]

Television Appearances

List includes acting appearances only, not interviews and/or performances

CeCes Place (aired on the Odyssey Channel)

7th Heaven [10]

Touched By an Angel [11]

Living Single

Doc [10]

Martin

Other

Journeys In Black: CeCe Winans (BET documentary of Cece Winans life)

Released: 2002

Format: DVD

[edit]Awards

CeCe has received 10 Grammy Awards, 21 Grammy Award nominations, 20 Dove Awards and numerous Stellar Awards.

Main article: CeCe Winans awards

[edit]See also

CeCe Winans albums

BeBe and CeCe Winans albums

The Winans Family

[edit]References

^ a b "CeCe Winans Official Homepage". PureSprings Gospel. Retrieved on 2007-05-23.

^ Stellar Awards Homepage

^ LaTonya Taylor (10-2005). "Purified by Fire". Christianity Today. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.

^ CeCe Winans Q and A

^ a b "At Home with CeCe Winans". Ebony Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.

^ Winans, CeCe (August 1, 2000). On A Positive Note.

^ a b c d e f "CeCe Winans Albums Chart History". Billboard.com.

^ a b c "CeCe Winans Singles Chart History". Billboard.com.

^ "The Official 22nd Annual Stellar Award Winners (2007)". Gospel Flava. January 13, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.

^ a b "CeCe Winans Official Biography". PureSprings Gospel. Retrieved on 2007-08-03.

^ At Home With CeCe Winans Part 2- Ebony Magazine

Other References

Winans, CeCe: On A Positive Note (August 1, 2000)

[edit]External links

www.cecewinans.com - Official CeCe Winans Internet site

Cece Winans - Interview (August 2008) on BlackGospel.com

Cece Winans Amazon Astore: Music, Books and Video

CeCe Winans at Allmusic

CeCe Winans discusses On the Move curriculum

[hide]

v • d • e

CeCe Winans

Discography

Solo • With BeBe Winans

North American Albums

Alone In His Presence • Everlasting Love • His Gift • Alabaster Box • CeCe Winans • Throne Room • Purified • Thy Kingdom Come

BeBe Winans • Winans family • PureSprings Gospel • BeBe and CeCe Winans • Melinda Doolittle • The PTL Club

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