Benjamin"BeBe"Winans(born September 17, 1962)[1]is an AmericangospelandR&Bsinger fromDetroit,Michigan.He is a member of the notedWinans family,most members of which are also gospel artists. Winans has released nine albums, seven with his sisterCeCeasBeBe & CeCe Winansand one with three Winans brothers.
BeBe Winans | |
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![]() Winans at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2019 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Benjamin Glenn |
Born | Detroit,Michigan,U.S. | September 17, 1962
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, producer |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels |
|
Website | www |
The PTL Club
editWinans released severalalbums,first with his sisterCeCe,and later as asoloartist.Jim Bakker's television showThe PTL Clubtook interest in BeBe and his sister CeCe as background vocalists for the show. After going toNorth Carolinato audition they were accepted. The siblings moved to the PTL campus in North Carolina, and were on the show for about five years.
During their time on PTL,BeBe and CeCerecordedLord Lift Us Upon PTL's label after popular demand on the show. Eventually the success warranted another effort: a full-length album. The album did well on the charts. BeBe and CeCe left PTL to pursue their singing career and recorded five albums together including self-titledBeBe & CeCe Winans,Heaven,Different Lifestyles,First ChristmasandRelationships.In 1995, BeBe and CeCe split up to pursue solo careers. But in 2009, they did the albumStilltogether. On it was the song "Close to You," which won aDove Awardin 2010 in the category of Urban Recorded Song.
Solo career
editIn 1989, BeBe won his first Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male for his contribution to "Abundant Life", a track on his brother Ronald's Family & Friends Choir.
BeBe signed with Atlantic records in late 1996 and delivered a self-titled solo debut in 1997. The album featured the singles "In Harms' Way", "Thank You", and the international crossover hit "I Wanna Be the Only One"featuring British soul trioEternal.The song topped theUK Singles Chartin Eternal's native United Kingdom in May 1997.
The next album released was the fruit of a new deal with Motown Records.Love & Freedomwas released in 2000 and featured production fromWarryn Campbell,Brian McKnight,Masters At Workand others. The lead single "Coming Back Home" was a slow swinging ballad featuring R&B luminaries McKnight andJoe.Another single was BeBe's remake of theStevie Wonderclassic "Jesus Children of America" featuring his older brother Marvin (The Winans,Winans family) and Stevie Wonder himself.[2]
Two years later, a live albumLive & Up Closefollowed. The album was recorded live at BET studios and featured guests such as his sister Debra Winans-Lowe andStephanie Mills.The set was released on both CD & DVD. The CD included the studio version of "Do You Know Him?" which served as the album's first single.[3]
By 2003, BeBe had started his own record label, The Movement Group, and partnered with Still Waters, an inspirational and gospel imprint ofHidden Beach Recordings.[4]The first album under this deal was 2004's largely orchestral holiday album entitledMy Christmas Prayerwhich first appeared exclusively for sale at Starbucks coffee shops nationwide.[5]Between releases, BeBe made his film debut with a small role in the 2004 remake (featuringDenzel Washington) ofThe Manchurian Candidate.
Early the next year, BeBe released his third proper solo albumDreamfeaturing the single "I Have A Dream".[6]The song featured samples of the historic speech by Martin Luther King, and was released to several radio stations to coincide with King's birthday celebrations.[7]The cover of the album features a hand painted portrait of BeBe standing in front of a Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. street sign. Also "Miracle Of Love," a duet with Angie Stone included on the album, also appeared on a soundtrack of songs inspired by the filmThe Passion Of The Christ.[8]
On September 30, 2003, at Hollywood's Kodak Theater, Bebe performed two songs withAnastacia;a duet for her song "Heavy on my Heart" and backup vocals for a cover version of the Aerosmith song "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing". The performance was for the fourth annual "Women Rock" benefit for breast cancer, which was broadcast on October 23, 2003, on the Lifetime cable channel.
Winans performed a duet withEden Espinosaon the 2008Alma Awardswhich was broadcast on ABC on September 12. 2008. Winans and Espinosa sang "I Don't Know Much" as a tribute to honoreeLinda Ronstadt.Bebe performed "Born for This" on the Obama/Biden Inauguration tribute Change is Now CD+DVD set. BeBe & CeCe Winans had confirmed a reunion album scheduled for early 2009.
Winans hosts his own nationallysyndicatedradio program,The BeBe Winans Radio Show.BeBe Winans has starred in Broadway'sThe Color Purpleas Harpo as of January 9, 2008. He is starring alongsideChaka Khanwho is playing his wife, Sofia.
Since 2010, Winans has been the host ofSundaymorning radio showThe BeBe ExperienceforSiriusXM'sHeart & Soulairs every Sunday Morning
Winans was one of the judges for a gospel music competition show onBETcalledSunday Best,along with gospel duoMary Mary.He was invited to participate in the remake of "We Are The World"to benefitHaitiafter the2010 earthquake.Bebe together with Cece and Mary Mary featuring the West Angeles Choir performed onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[9]
In 2012, Winans releasedThe Whitney I Knew,a memoir aboutWhitney Houston,who had died earlier that year. Winans was a close friend of the singer, and sang at her funeral.[10]
In March 2014, Winans joined British pop/R&B groupEternalat theHammersmith Apolloin London, to perform the number one hit "I Wanna Be the Only One", as part ofThe Big Reunionlive shows.
Legal issues
editIn November 2007, Winans filed suit inDavidson County, Tennesseeagainst Eric Peterson, who had managed him between 2002 and 2007. Winans's claims included breach of a managerial contract and of fiduciary duties, as well as fraud. Winans asserted that Peterson stole from him and took advantage of his trust, stating that in February 2002, "Mr. Peterson induced Mr. Winans to execute a power of attorney, representing that it was required to permit Mr. Peterson to perform his services. In fact, on December 31, 2004, Mr. Peterson used the power of attorney to execute a promissory note purporting to obligate Mr. Winans to pay Mr. Peterson himself the sum of $150,000."[11]
Winans was arrested March 11, 2009, on charges of domestic assault for allegedly pushing his ex-wife to the ground in front of their children during an argument. According to a court filing, Winans and his former spouse got into a "verbal altercation" on February 13 about "custody issues dealing with their children."[12]On December 4, 2009, the domestic assault criminal charges against Winans were dismissed.[13][14]An AP news report indicates the court action resulted from a pre-trial diversion deal offered by the prosecution, calling for Winans to attend domestic violence counseling in exchange for dismissal of the charges.[15]
Discography
editSolo albums
edit- 1997:BeBe Winans(Atlantic)
- 2000:Love & Freedom(Motown)
- 2002:Live and Up Close(Motown)
- 2004:My Christmas Prayer(The Movement Group /Hidden Beach/Epic)
- 2005:Dream(The Movement Group / Still Waters / Hidden Beach)
- 2007:Cherch(The Movement Group / Koch)
- 2012:America, America(My Destiny /Razor & Tie)
- 2019:Need You[16]
As BeBe & CeCe Winans
edit- 1984:Lord Lift Us Up(PTL)
- 1987:BeBe & CeCe Winans(Sparrow / Capitol)
- 1988:Heaven(Sparrow / Capitol)
- 1991:Different Lifestyles(Sparrow / Capitol)
- 1993:First Christmas(Sparrow / Capitol)
- 1994:Relationships(Sparrow / Capitol)
- 1996:Greatest Hits(Sparrow / EMI)
- 2006:The Best of BeBe and CeCe(Sparrow)
- 2009:Still(B&C / Malaco)[17]
Singles
edit- 1996: "All of Me" (Myrrh)
- 1997: "In Harm's Way"(Atlantic)
- 1997: "Thank You" (Atlantic)
- 1997: "I Wanna Be the Only One"(withEternal) (EMI)
- 1997: "Stay" (Atlantic)
- 2000: "Coming Back Home"(Motown)
- 2000: "Jesus Children of America" (Motown)
- 2000: "Tonight Tonight" (Motown)[18]
- 2002: "Do You Know Him" (Motown)
- 2005: "I Have a Dream" (TMG/Still Waters)
- 2005: "Safe from Harm" (TMG/Still Waters)
- 2005: "Love Me Anyway" (TMG/Still Waters)
- 2017: "He Promised Me" (Regimen/Malaco)
- 2018: "Laughter" (Regimen/Malaco)
- 2019: "Free Free" (Regimen/Malaco)
- 2020: "In Jesus Name" (Regimen/Malaco)
- 2020: "Black Lives Matter" (Hidden Beach)[19]
Other appearances
edit- 1984: "Give Him Thanks" fromFace to Face(Light) with The Winans
- 1984: "Golden Opportunity" fromTomorrow(Light) withThe Winans
- 1984:Jesus Commands Us to Go!,Keith Green(background)
- 1986: "Its Only Natural" and "Arms of Love" fromKaleidoscope(Dayspring) withKeith Thomas
- 1987: "Abundant Life" fromRon Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. I(Selah)
- 1987: "Love Is You" fromDaniel Winans & Second Half(A&M) duet withMarvin Winans
- 1988:Live: Radically Saved,Carman(background)
- 1989: "Do You Feel Their Pain?" fromJustice(Sparrow) duet withSteve Camp
- 1991: "A Song of Consecration" fromRon Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. III(Selah)
- 1992: "I'm Going Up" fromWhite Men Can't Jump(soundtrack) (EMI) with CeCe
- 1992: "Still Called Today" fromThe Great Adventure(Sparrow) withSteven Curtis Chapman
- 1993: "For Unto Us a Child Is Born" fromThe New Young Messiah(Sparrow) with CeCe
- 1994: "He's on Your Side", duet with Monique Walker on theHezekiah Walker& The Love Fellowship Choir album,Live in Atlanta at Morehouse College(Benson)
- 1995: "You've Got a Friend" fromTapestry Revisited: A Tribute toCarole King(Atlantic) with CeCe andAretha Franklin
- 1996: "All of Me" fromMy Utmost for His Highest: The Covenant(Myrrh)
- 1996: "But God" fromRon Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. IV(Selah)
- 1997: "I Wanna Be the Only One" with Eternal fromBefore the Rain(Atlantic/EMI)
- 1998: "He's Coming Soon" fromThe Apocalypse(soundtrack) (Straightway)
- 1998: "River Jordan" fromCivil War: The Nashville Sessions(Atlantic)
- 1998: "One Voice" fromNever Say Never(Brandy) (Atlantic)
- 1998: "Stay with Me" fromThe Prince of Egypt:Inspirational(DreamWorks)
- 1999: "He Watches Over You", duet withSandi PattyfromSongs from the Book(Word)
- 1999: "I Will Follow Christ", as a trio withBob CarlisleandClay Crosse
- 2001: "Jesus Children of America" with Marvin Winans andStevie WonderfromBoycott(HBO Film soundtrack)
- 2006: "Broken Bridges" (CMT film) withWillie NelsonandToby Keith
- 2007: "I Don't Want to Be Wrong Today" fromWe Are Family 2007: Artists & Friends for Hurricane Relief(Point of Light Foundation)
- 2010: "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"
Books
editThe Whitney I Knew,Worthy Publishing,July 2012ISBN9781617950841
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"BeBe Winans Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More".AllMusic.
- ^"BeBe Winans: Love & Freedom".GospelFlava.Archivedfrom the original on September 28, 2007.
- ^"BeBe Winans: Live And Up Close".GospelFlava.Archivedfrom the original on September 28, 2007.
- ^"BeBe Winans' New Record Label: Movement Detected on Still Waters".GospelCity. September 12, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon March 21, 2006.
- ^"Starbucks Hear Music, Bebe Winans and Hidden Beach Join Together to Offer Holiday CD Exclusively at Starbucks Stores".Business Wire. November 8, 2004.
- ^"BeBe Winans to release Dream in February".GospelCity. November 17, 2004. Archived fromthe originalon March 21, 2006.
- ^"Hidden Beach Recordings Celebrates the MLK Holiday and King's Historic Speech with Special Radio Broadcasts of the Grammy-Nominated BeBe Winans RecordingI Have A Dream".Business Wire. January 13, 2006.
- ^"The 'Dream' Of BeBe Winans".CBS News.April 9, 2005.Archivedfrom the original on February 16, 2007.
- ^Fusemix."Cece Winans and Bebe Winans on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 12/23/10".fusemix.Archived fromthe originalon December 26, 2010.RetrievedDecember 24,2010.
- ^Diaz, Evelyn (June 18, 2012)."BeBe Winans Writes Whitney Houston Book".Archivedfrom the original on April 13, 2014.RetrievedApril 9,2014.
- ^Whitehouse, Ken (November 21, 2007)."Gospel royalty files suit against former business manager".NashvillePost.Archived fromthe originalon October 9, 2008.RetrievedNovember 23,2007.
- ^"Gospel singer BeBe Winans arrested on abuse charges".Archived from the original on March 16, 2009.RetrievedMarch 13,2009.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^"Domestic violence charge dismissed against BeBe Winans".December 7, 2009.
- ^"YouTube".youtube.Archivedfrom the original on April 7, 2016.
- ^Gaines, Adrienne S. (December 7, 2009)."Judge Dismisses Domestic Violence Charges Against BeBe Winans".Archivedfrom the original on September 21, 2017.
- ^"Need You by BeBe Winans".NewReleaseToday.RetrievedAugust 30,2019.
- ^"Home".CeCe Winans.Archivedfrom the original on April 12, 2007.
- ^Tonight TonightSingle Listing
- ^"Bebe Winans Releases Timely New Single" Black Lives Matter "".JubileeCast.July 5, 2020.RetrievedNovember 15,2021.