BeBe Winans

Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (born September 17, 1962) is an American gospel and R&B singer from Detroit, Michigan. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists. Winans has released nine solo albums, seven with his sister CeCe as BeBe & CeCe Winans, and one with three Winans brothers.

The PTL Club Winans released several albums, first with his sister CeCe, and later as a solo artist. Jim Bakker's television show The PTL Club took interest in BeBe and his sister CeCe as background vocalists for the show. After going to South Carolina to audition they were accepted. The siblings moved to the PTL campus in South Carolina, and were on the show for about five years.

During their time on PTL, BeBe and CeCe recorded Lord Lift Us Up on 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-titled BeBe & CeCe Winans, Heaven, Different Lifestyles, First Christmas and Relationships. In 1995, BeBe and CeCe split up to pursue solo careers. But in 2009, they did the album Still together. On it was the song "Close to You," which won a Dove Award in 2010 in the category of Urban Recorded Song.

Solo career

In 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 trio Eternal. The song topped the UK Singles Chart in Eternal's native United Kingdom in May 1997.

The next album released was the fruit of a new deal with Motown Records. Love & Freedom was released in 2000 and featured production from Warryn Campbell, Brian McKnight, Masters At Work and others. The lead single "Coming Back Home" was a slow swinging ballad featuring R&B luminaries McKnight and Joe. Another single was BeBe's remake of the Stevie Wonder classic "Jesus Children of America" featuring his older brother Marvin (The Winans, Winans family) and Stevie Wonder himself.

Two years later, a live album Live & Up Close followed. The album was recorded live at BET studios and featured guests such as his sister Debra Winans-Lowe and Stephanie 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.

President George W. Bush with his arm around Winans as he sings "God Bless America" during the "Saluting Those Who Serve" event on January 18, 2005. Also pictured are, from left, Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, and Vice President Dick Cheney.

By 2003, BeBe had started his own record label, The Movement Group, and partnered with Still Waters, an inspirational and gospel imprint of Hidden Beach Recordings. The first album under this deal was 2004's largely orchestral holiday album entitled My Christmas Prayer which first appeared exclusively for sale at Starbucks coffee shops nationwide. Between releases, BeBe made his film debut with a small role in the 2004 remake (featuring Denzel Washington) of The Manchurian Candidate.

Early the next year, BeBe released his third proper solo album Dream featuring the single "I Have A Dream". 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. 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 film The Passion Of The Christ.

On September 30, 2003, at Hollywood's Kodak Theater, Bebe performed two songs with Anastacia; 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 with Eden Espinosa on the 2008 Alma Awards which was broadcast on ABC on September 12. 2008. Winans and Espinosa sang "I Don't Know Much" as a tribute to honoree Linda 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 nationally syndicated radio program, The BeBe Winans Radio Show. BeBe Winans has starred in Broadway's The Color Purple as Harpo as of January 9, 2008. He is starring alongside Chaka Khan who is playing his wife, Sofia.

Since 2010, Winans has been the host of Sunday morning radio show The BeBe Experience for SiriusXM's Heart & Soul airs every Sunday Morning

Winans was one of the judges for a gospel music competition show on BET called Sunday Best, along with gospel duo Mary Mary. He was invited to participate in the remake of "We Are The World" to benefit Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Bebe together with Cece and Mary Mary featuring the West Angeles Choir performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In 2012, Winans released The Whitney I Knew, a memoir about Whitney Houston, who had died earlier that year. Winans was a close friend of the singer, and sang at her funeral.

In March 2014, Winans joined British pop/R&B group Eternal at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, to perform the number one hit "I Wanna Be the Only One", as part of The Big Reunion live shows.

In March 2025, Winans achieved his third number-one on Billboards's Gospel Airplay chart (fourth if including CeCe) with "Father In Heaven (Right Now)" (featuring Gerald Albright), following "In Jesus Name" in 2021 and "He Promised Me" in 2018. BeBe, with CeCe, also had a number-one hit on the Gospel Airplay chart with "Close to You" in 2009.

Legal issues In November 2007, Winans filed suit in Davidson County, Tennessee against 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."

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." On December 4, 2009, the domestic assault criminal charges against Winans were dismissed. 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.

Discography

Solo albums 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

As BeBe & CeCe Winans

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)

Singles 1996: "All of Me" (Myrrh) 1997: "In Harm's Way" (Atlantic) 1997: "Thank You" (Atlantic) 1997: "I Wanna Be the Only One" (with Eternal) (EMI) 1997: "Stay" (Atlantic) 2000: "Coming Back Home" (Motown) 2000: "Jesus Children of America" (Motown) 2000: "Tonight Tonight" (Motown) 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) 2024: "Father In Heaven (Right Now)"(Regimen)

Other appearances 1984: "Give Him Thanks" from Face to Face (Light) with The Winans 1984: "Golden Opportunity" from Tomorrow (Light) with The Winans 1984: Jesus Commands Us to Go!, Keith Green (background) 1986: "Its Only Natural" and "Arms of Love" from Kaleidoscope (Dayspring) with Keith Thomas 1987: "Abundant Life" from Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. I (Selah) 1987: "Love Is You" from Daniel Winans & Second Half (A&M) duet with Marvin Winans 1988: Live: Radically Saved, Carman (background) 1989: "Do You Feel Their Pain?" from Justice (Sparrow) duet with Steve Camp 1991: "A Song of Consecration" from Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. III (Selah) 1992: "I'm Going Up" from White Men Can't Jump (soundtrack) (EMI) with CeCe 1992: "Still Called Today" from The Great Adventure (Sparrow) with Steven Curtis Chapman 1993: "For Unto Us a Child Is Born" from The New Young Messiah (Sparrow) with CeCe 1994: "He's on Your Side", duet with Monique Walker on the Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir album, Live in Atlanta at Morehouse College (Benson) 1995: "You've Got a Friend" from Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King (Atlantic) with CeCe and Aretha Franklin 1996: "All of Me" from My Utmost for His Highest: The Covenant (Myrrh) 1996: "But God" from Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. IV (Selah) 1997: "I Wanna Be the Only One" with Eternal from Before the Rain (Atlantic/EMI) 1998: "He's Coming Soon" from The Apocalypse (soundtrack) (Straightway) 1998: "River Jordan" from Civil War: The Nashville Sessions (Atlantic) 1998: "One Voice" from Never Say Never (Brandy) (Atlantic) 1998: "Stay with Me" from The Prince of Egypt: Inspirational (DreamWorks) 1999: "He Watches Over You", duet with Sandi Patty from Songs from the Book (Word) 1999: "I Will Follow Christ", as a trio with Bob Carlisle and Clay Crosse 2001: "Jesus Children of America" with Marvin Winans and Stevie Wonder from Boycott (HBO Film soundtrack) 2006: "Broken Bridges" (CMT film) with Willie Nelson and Toby Keith 2007: "I Don't Want to Be Wrong Today" from We Are Family 2007: Artists & Friends for Hurricane Relief (Point of Light Foundation) 2010: "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"

Books The Whitney I Knew, Worthy Publishing, July 2012

Awards and nominations GMA Dove Awards The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. Winans has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and has also received 10 awards from and 34 nominations. Year Category Work Result 1988 Horizon Award - New Artist of the Year BeBe & CeCe Winans Contemporary Album of the Year BeBe & CeCe Winans Song of the Year "I.O.U. Me" Male Vocalist of the Year Himself 1989 Artist of the Year BeBe & CeCe Winans Group of the Year 1990 Contemporary Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "With My Whole Heart" Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year "Heaven" Contemporary Album of the Year Heaven Short Form Music Video of the Year Male Vocalist of the Year Himself 1991 Group of the Year BeBe & CeCe Winans Contemporary Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Meantime" 1992 Short Form Music Video of the Year "Addictive Love" Contemporary Black Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "I'll Take You There" Rap/Hip Hop/Dance Recorded Song of the Year "The Blood" Contemporary Album of the Year Different Lifestyles Artist of the Year Bebe & Cece Winans Group of the Year Male Vocalist of the Year Himself 1997 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Feels Like Heaven (With You)" 1998 Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Up Where We Belong" Urban Album of the Year Bebe Winans Urban Recorded Song of the Year "In Harms Way" 1999 "In the Midst of the Rain" 2001 Urban Album of the Year Love & Freedom 2005 Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year "Miracle of Love" 2006 Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Dream 2010 Urban Recorded Song of the Year "Close To You" 2015 Gospel Music Hall of Fame BeBe & CeCe Winans

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Winans has won 6 awards from 21 nominations. Year Category Work Result 1985 Best Soul Gospel Performance By A Duo Or Group Lord Lift Us Up 1987 Best Gospel Performance, Male "It's Only Natural" 1988 Call Me Best Soul Gospel Performance By A Duo, Group, Choir Or Chorus BeBe and CeCe Winans 1989 "Silent Night, Holy Night" Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male Abundant Life 1990 Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Male Meantime Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal "Celebrate New Life" Best Gospel Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group, Choir Or Chorus "Heaven" 1992 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Different Lifestyles 1994 Album of the Year The Bodyguard - Original Soundtrack Album 1995 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album First Christmas Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal "If Anything Ever Happened To You" 2001 "Coming Back Home" Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Love & Freedom 2003 Live And Up Close 2006 Dream 2008 Best Traditional Gospel Album Cherch 2009 Best Gospel Performance "I Understand" 2011 "Grace" Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album Still

NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Winans has won 5 awards from 10 nominations.

Year Category Work Result 1987 Outstanding Gospel Artist BeBe & CeCe Winans 1989 1990 1992 1993 1996 1997 Outstanding Duo or Group 2010 Outstanding Gospel Album Still 2020 Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song – Traditional or Contemporary "Laughter" (with Korean Soul)

Soul Train Awards The Soul Train Music Awards are awarded annually. Winans has won 2 awards from 9 nominations. Year Category Work Result 1989 Best R&B/Urban Contemporary New Artist BeBe & CeCe Winans 1990 Best Gospel Album Heaven 1992 Different Lifestyles Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo R&B/Soul Song of the Year "Different Lifestyles" 1995 Best Gospel Album Relationships 2009 Best Gospel Performance – Male, Female or Group "Close to You" 2019 Best Gospel/Inspirational Award Himself 2020

Stellar Awards The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. Winans has won 10 awards from 17 nominations.

Year Category Work Result 1988 Best New Gospel Artist Bebe & CeCe Winans 1990 Best Inspirational Gospel Performance Best Performance by Duo or Group Urban/Inspiration Single or the Performance of the Year "Celebrate New Life" Contemporary Song of the year Heaven Contemporary Album of the Year 1992 Best Gospel Album Different Lifestyles 2002 Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year Love & Freedom 2006 Song of the Year "Safe From Harm" 2011 Music Video of the Year "Close to You" Song of the Year Urban/ Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year "Still" Artist of the Year BeBe & CeCe Winans Contemporary Group/ Duo of the Year Group Duo of the Year Contemporary CD of the Year Still Special Event CD of the Year

Miscellaneous awards and honors Year Award Category Work Result 2009 Michigan's International Gospel Music Hall of Fame Himself 2011 Trumpet Awards Spirit Enlightenment Award BeBe & CeCe Winans Hollywood Walk of Fame 2022 Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame