Gospel Singer-Songwriter CeCe Winans

THE RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA REPORTS THAT SALES OF GOSPEL MUSIC RECORDINGS HAVE AVERAGED A 22 PERCENT GROWTH EACH YEAR SINCE 1991. A REASON FOR ITS INCREASED POPULARITY IS THE CROSSOVER SUCCESS OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN ARTISTS INTO THE POP MAINSTREAM. THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT ONE PERFORMER WHOSE MUSIC IS POPULAR WITH BOTH GOSPEL FANS AND POP AUDIENCES, SINGER-SONGWRITER CECE WINANS.

GOSPEL SINGER-SONGWRITER CECE WINANS IS STILL ENJOYING THE SUCCESS OF HER DEBUT SOLO ALBUM, "ALONE IN HIS PRESENCE," WHICH WAS RELEASED JUST LAST YEAR. SHE FIRST APPEARED ON THE GOSPEL MUSIC SCENE IN 1982 PERFORMING IN A DUO WITH HER BROTHER, BEBE.

CECE WAS BORN IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN. ONE OF TEN CHILDREN, SHE GREW UP SINGING WITH HER FAMILY AT VARIOUS FUNCTIONS AND IN HER LOCAL CHURCH CHOIR. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NOTED GOSPEL SINGERS IN CECE'S FAMILY, INCLUDING HER FOUR BROTHERS, MARVIN, MICHAEL, CARVIN AND RONALD, WHO PERFORM IN THE POPULAR GOSPEL QUARTET, THE WINANS. DURING HER CHILDHOOD YEARS, CECE DREAMED OF ONE DAY OWNING HER OWN HAIR STYLING SALON. BUT, THAT PLAN BEGAN TO CHANGE AT 17, WHEN SHE WAS INVITED TO SING ON FORMER EVANGELISTS JIM AND TAMMY FAYE BAKKER'S TELEVISION PROGRAM, THE PTL CLUB. LATER, CECE WAS HIRED TO PERFORM AT VARIOUS CHURCHES WHICH BROUGHT HER TO THE ATTENTION OF EXECUTIVES AT MAJOR RECORD COMPANIES.

IN RECENT YEARS, GOSPEL ARTISTS, LIKE CECE HAVE RECEIVED INCREASED AIRPLAY ON URBAN AND TOP 40 RADIO STATIONS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. CECE WINANS' MUSIC BLENDS ELEMENTS OF RHYTHM-AND-BLUES, POP AND TRADITIONAL GOSPEL, A STYLE THAT APPEALS TO A WIDE RANGE OF AUDIENCES. SHE FEELS THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS FOR GOSPEL MUSIC'S MAINSTREAM SUCCESS.

"GOSPEL MUSIC, FIRST OF ALL, IS FULL OF TALENTED PEOPLE, AND IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. BUT NOW, YOU KNOW, (RECORD) COMPANIES REALIZE IT CAN SELL, AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD CAN BE ENTERTAINED. I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOOD MUSIC. BUT ALSO, IT'S SOMETHING POSITIVE. IT'S MORE THAN A SONG. YOU KNOW, AND, I THINK IN THE WORLD WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY, EVERYBODY IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE POSITIVE."

LAST YEAR, CECE WINANS' DEBUT SOLO ALBUM, "ALONE IN HIS PRESENCE," EARNED HER THE GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST CONTEMPORARY SOUL GOSPEL ALBUM. SHE ALSO RECEIVED TWO 1996 GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION DOVE AWARDS, INCLUDING FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR. THE ACHIEVEMENT MARKED THE FIRST TIME IN THE DOVE AWARDS 27-YEAR HISTORY THAT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN RECEIVED THE FEMALE VOCALIST HONOR. CECE CO-WROTE THREE OF THE SONGS ON "ALONE IN HIS PRESENCE," WHICH SHE DESCRIBES AS A COLLECTION OF POSITIVE SONGS.

"THIS IS MORE OF A MEDITATING TYPE OF ALBUM. IT JUST MAKES YOU RE-FOCUS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A STRESSFUL LIFE, AND IT PAYS TO SLOW DOWN AND TO FIRST OF ALL REALIZE HOW REAL GOD IS AND FOCUS IN ON WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. THAT IS, LOVING PEOPLE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE LIFE, YOU HAVE A LOT TO BE GRATEFUL FOR."

IN ADDITION TO HER BUSY RECORDING AND PERFORMING SCHEDULE, CECE IS A CELEBRITY SPOKESPERSON FOR THE HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATION, WORLD VISION. SHE'S CURRENTLY PROMOTING HER LATEST ALBUM WITH A 60-CITY CONCERT TOUR AND HOPES TO SOON BEGIN RECORDING HER SECOND SOLO PROJECT. OTHER FUTURE PLANS INCLUDE RECORDING AND TOURING WITH HER BROTHER, BEBE.

22-Jan-97
Source: Voice of America

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