CeCe Winans
Encyclopedia
Priscilla "CeCe" Marie Winans Love (born October 8, 1964) is an American
Gospel
singer, who has won numerous Grammy and Stellar Awards
.
, to David and Delores ("Mom" and "Pop") Winans
, on October 8, 1964. She's the eighth of ten children, and the eldest of three girls.
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, the Gold certified
Everlasting Love was released in 1998 and featured Winans biggest Billboard charting singles to date "Well Alright" & "Slippin". The song "On That Day" from the album 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. Producers on board for the project were longtime BeBe & CeCe collaborator Keith Thomas, and CeCe's 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.
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 US and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
, #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #8 on the Billboard R&B Singles
charts.
She has also released her 8th Album Thy Kingdom Come on April 1, 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. Cece Winans together with Bebe Winans & Mary Mary featuring the West Angeles Choir performed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
In 2009, CeCe announced her support for a multicultural Christian education curriculum from Abingdon Press, entitled "On the Move: God's Grace from Place to Place."
(a suburb of Nashville) with her husband Alvin Love 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 only child, she is also the godmother to Deron Cozart Sr as well as best friends with Co-Pastor of New Light Christian Center (Houston, Austin, Beaumont, Texas) Dr. Bridget E. Hilliard.
's animated television series The Proud Family
, the baby twins are named "BeBe & CeCe."
Solo albums
Other Albums
----
Guest appearances & Soundtracks
----
Music Videos
Television Appearances
Other
----
nominations, 20 Dove Awards and seven Stellar Awards
(as well as numerous nominations).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer, who has won numerous Grammy and Stellar Awards
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards is the first Gospel Music Awards show in the country, honoring Gospel Music Artists, writers, and industry professionals for their contributions to the Gospel Music Industry. The Stellar Awards ranks high in status as the only Gospel Music television awards program syndicated in...
.
Early life
CeCe Winans was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, to David and Delores ("Mom" and "Pop") Winans
Winans family
The Winans family is an African-American family of Gospel music artists from Detroit, Michigan.-Family members:* David "Pop" Winans, Sr. * Delores "Mom" Winans * David Winans Jr....
, on October 8, 1964. She's the eighth of ten children, and the eldest of three girls.
Solo career
CeCe began her solo career with the Platinum certifiedMusic recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
album Alone in His Presence. It was released in 1995 and earned her a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
and 2 Dove Awards including the Female Vocalist of the Year, an award she earned again in 1997. Winans' next release, the Gold certified
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
Everlasting Love was released in 1998 and featured Winans biggest Billboard charting singles to date "Well Alright" & "Slippin". The song "On That Day" from the album was written and produced by R&B singer Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
. Later that year, Winans released His Gift a holiday album.
In 1999, Winans started her own recording company, "PureSprings Gospel
Puresprings Gospel
PureSprings Gospel is a gospel music record label by gospel artist CeCe Winans. Winans founded the label in 1999 when Pioneer folded and released Alabaster Box as an experimental album and the album did well. Winans appointed Demetrius Stewart to oversee the label.The label has signed several...
". 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
Fred Hammond
Fred Hammond is a gospel music singer, bass guitar player, and record producer.-Musical career:Hammond has been active both as a member of the gospel performing group Commissioned, and as a solo artist...
. It included a guest appearance by Take 6
Take 6
Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has 10 Grammy wins, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two...
. In 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
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
GRITS
GRITS, also known as G.R.I.T.S., is a Christian Hip Hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Their name is an acronym, which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit." GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter, both of whom were DC Talk dancers.Their song "Ooh Aah"...
. The second single, "Say A Prayer" crossed over into the CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
market.
Winans took a two year break from releasing albums and returned in 2003 with Throne Room
Throne Room (album)
Throne Room is the sixth studio album by multiple Grammy winning gospel artist CeCe Winans. In comparison for Winans' previous projects, this one is more inspirational with more traditional songs. This was not one of Winans' most commercially successful projects as the only single spawned from the...
. 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
Purified
Purified is the seventh solo album by gospel artist Cece Winans. This album was released under her own label, Pursprings Gospel. The singles "Pray" and "All That I Need" were released in July in anticipation of the albums release...
was released in 2005. Producers on board for the project were longtime BeBe & CeCe collaborator Keith Thomas, and CeCe's nephew Mario Winans
Mario Winans
Mario Winans is an American R&B singer, songwriter, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Born Mario Brown, he is the son of gospel recording artist Vickie Winans and her first husband, Bishop Ronald Brown. He is also the stepson of his mother's second husband, gospel singer, Pastor Marvin...
. Winans' son Alvin III also co-writes several songs on the album and younger sisters Angie and Debbie Winans make an appearance as well.
CeCe's collection of Top Ten R&B radio hits include "Count on Me
Count on Me
"Count on Me" is a duet by American recording artists Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans. It is an uplifting song about leaning on a friend for support when needed. Released in early 1996, the song was the fourth single from the soundtrack album of the motion picture Waiting to Exhale, and the second...
", her duet with Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, from the Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 romance film starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett, directed by Forest Whitaker. The movie was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Beach, Gregory Hines, Donald Faison and Mykelti...
soundtrack. The single was certified Gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in the US and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #8 on the Billboard R&B Singles
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts.
She has also released her 8th Album Thy Kingdom Come on April 1, 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. Cece Winans together with Bebe Winans & Mary Mary featuring the West Angeles Choir performed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
Upcoming releases
It was confirmed on her website that a reunion album with BeBe was planned and scheduled for release in early 2009. The album was released with the name 'Still ' and is the 9th album released by the famous brother / sister duo; the album was released under Malaco Records and features collaborations with Marvin Winans and Gospel Contemporary sisters duo Mary Mary. In early 2006, Winans stated that she would follow Purified with a holiday album. However this later was changed when "Thy Kingdom Come" a gospel album became the successor in her discography.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: God's Grace from Place to Place."
Personal life
CeCe now resides in Forest Hills, TennesseeForest Hills, Tennessee
Forest Hills is a city in Davidson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,710 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Forest Hills is bordered by Old Hickory Boulevard on the south, Granny White Pike on the east, Harding Place on the north, and Hillsboro Pike on the north...
(a suburb of Nashville) with her husband Alvin Love 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
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
as well as godmother to her only child, she is also the godmother to Deron Cozart Sr as well as best friends with Co-Pastor of New Light Christian Center (Houston, Austin, Beaumont, Texas) Dr. Bridget E. Hilliard.
In Pop Culture
In the Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
's animated television series The Proud Family
The Proud Family
The Proud Family is an American animated television series that premiered on Disney Channel from September 15, 2001 to August 19, 2005.-Production:...
, the baby twins are named "BeBe & CeCe."
Discography
Albums with BeBe Winans- See BeBe & CeCe Winans Discography
Solo albums
Other Albums
----
Guest appearances & Soundtracks
- BeBe & CeCe WinansBeBe & CeCe WinansBeBe & CeCe Winans are an American Gospel music brother and sister duo. BeBe and CeCe Winans are the seventh and eighth of "Mom" and "Pop" Winans' ten children, most of whom have had successful Gospel music careers.-Musical career:...
with Vince GillVince GillVincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
and Wynonna JuddWynonna JuddWynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
: "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 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 HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
: "Count on MeCount on Me"Count on Me" is a duet by American recording artists Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans. It is an uplifting song about leaning on a friend for support when needed. Released in early 1996, the song was the fourth single from the soundtrack album of the motion picture Waiting to Exhale, and the second...
" (AristaArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, 1996) - CeCe Winans: "Rest In Me" Coram Deo II: People Of Praise (Sparrow, 1994)
Videography
Concerts----
Music Videos
- "Count on MeCount on Me"Count on Me" is a duet by American recording artists Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans. It is an uplifting song about leaning on a friend for support when needed. Released in early 1996, the song was the fourth single from the soundtrack album of the motion picture Waiting to Exhale, and the second...
" (Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
& 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 ChannelOdyssey ChannelThe Odyssey Channel was an award-winning documentary channel that was previously available on Optus Vision in Australia.It was one of the few channels on pay TV in Australia that had a large amount of Australian content available...
) - 7th Heaven7th Heaven7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007...
- Touched By an AngelTouched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
- Living SingleLiving SingleLiving Single is an American television sitcom which aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 29, 1993 to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone.Throughout its run, Living...
- DocDoc (TV series)Doc is a medical drama/family drama with strong Christian undertones starring Billy Ray Cyrus as Dr. Clint "Doc" Cassidy, a Montana doctor who takes a job in a New York City medical clinic. It ran from March 11, 2001 to November 28, 2004 on PAX...
- MartinMartin (TV series)Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
- CeCe's Place (aired on the Odyssey Channel
Other
----
Awards
CeCe has received 11 Grammy Awards, 21 Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations, 20 Dove Awards and seven Stellar Awards
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards is the first Gospel Music Awards show in the country, honoring Gospel Music Artists, writers, and industry professionals for their contributions to the Gospel Music Industry. The Stellar Awards ranks high in status as the only Gospel Music television awards program syndicated in...
(as well as numerous nominations).
See also
- :Category:CeCe Winans albums
- :Category:BeBe & CeCe Winans albums
- The Winans FamilyWinans familyThe Winans family is an African-American family of Gospel music artists from Detroit, Michigan.-Family members:* David "Pop" Winans, Sr. * Delores "Mom" Winans * David Winans Jr....
External links
- www.cecewinans.com - Official CeCe Winans Internet site
- Cece Winans - Interview (August 2008) on BlackGospel.com
- CeCe Winans discusses On the Move curriculum
- Accomplished gospel singer Cece Winans showered with 11 nominations for 2011 Stellar Awards including special honor at trumpet awards prayer breakfast - Fusemix.com