BeBe Winans

Infobox musical artist
Name = BeBe Winans

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Img_capt = BeBe Winans
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Benjamin Winans
Alias = BeBe
Born = Birth date and age|1962|9|17|mf=y
Died =
Origin = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Instrument = voice
Voice_type = Tenor [ [http://www.bebewinans.net/bio.htm BeBe Winans Biography @ BeBeWinans.net] ]
Genre = Gospel, R&B, Pop, Adult contemporary, Soul
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Actor
Years_active = 1984-present
Label = PTL Records (1984-1987) Sparrow/Capitol (1987-1998) Atlantic Records (1997-1998) Motown Records (1999-2003) Still Waters/Hidden Beach (2004-2006) The Movement Group (2004-present)
Associated_acts = CeCe Winans
Winans family
URL = [http://www.bebewinans.net/ BeBeWinans.net]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (born 17 September 1962) is a Grammy Award-winning gospel and R&B singer. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists.

Early musical career

He released several albums, first with his sister CeCe Winans, and later as a solo artist. The television show "Praise the Lord" (then known as "The PTL Club") took interest in BeBe and his sister CeCe as background vocalists for the show. After going to North Carolina to audition they were accepted. BeBe and CeCe moved to the PTL campus in North 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.

olo career

BeBe signed with Atlantic records 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 quartet Eternal.

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 Brian 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. [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/reviews/bebewinans.html|title=BeBe Winans: Love & Freedom|publisher=GospelFlava.com]

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. [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/reviews/bebewinanslive.html|title=BeBe Winans: Live And Up Close|publisher=GospelFlava.com]

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. [cite web|title=BeBe Winans' New Record Label: Movement Detected on Still Watrers|url=http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/industry-articles/industry_news/17|publisher=GospelCity.com|date=September 12, 2003] 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. [cite web|title=Starbucks Hear Music, Bebe Winans and Hidden Beach Join Together to Offer Holiday CD Exclusively at Starbucks Stores|publisher=Business Wire|date=2004-11-08|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2004_Nov_8/ai_n6336967] 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". [cite web|title=BeBe Winans to release Dream in February|url=http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/industry-articles/industry_news/137|publisher=GospelCity.com|date=November 17, 2004] 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. [cite web|title=Hidden Beach Recordings Celebrates the MLK Holiday and King's Historic Speech with Special Radio Broadcasts of the Grammy-Nominated BeBe Winans Recording ``I Have A Dream"|publisher=Business Wire|date=2006-01-13|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_Jan_13/ai_n16001263] 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". [cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/08/earlyshow/saturday/secondcup/main686841.shtml|title=The 'Dream' Of BeBe Winans|date=2005-04-09|publisher=CBS News]

He currently hosts his own nationally syndicated radio program, "The BeBe Winans Radio Show". 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.

Recent developments

*In November 2007, BeBe Winans filed suit in Davidson County (Tenn.) Circuit Court against his former business manager, Eric Peterson. His claims included breach of a managerial contract and of fiduciary duties, as well as fraud. Peterson managed Winans from early 2002 until early 2007. In the lawsuit, a copy of which is available through this link, [cite news |first=Ken|last=Whitehouse|title=Gospel royalty files suit against former business manager|url=http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2007/11/21/gospel_royalty_files_suit_against_former_business_manager|publisher=NashvillePost.com|date=2007-11-21|accessdate=2007-11-23 ] , Winans asserted that Peterson stole from him and took advantage of his trust. An example given by Winans was 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."
*BeBe & CeCe Winans have confirmed a reunion album scheduled for early 2008.
*BeBe Winans is currently starring 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.• Winans performed a duet with Eden Espinosa on the 2008 Alma Awards which will be broadcast on ABC on September 12. 2008. WInans and Espinosa sang "I Don't Know Much" as a tribute to honoree Linda Ronstadt.

Discography

olo albums

* "BeBe Winans" (Sparrow/Atlantic, 1997)
* "Love & Freedom" (Motown, 2000)
* "Live and Up Close" (Motown, 2002)
* "My Christmas Prayer" (The Movement Group/Still Waters/Hidden Beach, 2004)
* "Dream" (The Movement Group/Still Waters/Hidden Beach, 2005)
* "Cherch" (The Movement Group, 2007)

Albums with CeCe Winans

* "Lord Lift Us Up" (PTL, 1984)
* "BeBe And CeCe Winans" (Sparrow/Capitol, 1987)
* "Heaven" (Sparrow/Capitol, 1988)
* "Different Lifestyles" (Sparrow/Capitol, 1991)
* "First Christmas" (Sparrow/Capitol, 1993)
* "Relationships" (Sparrow/Capitol, 1994)
* "Greatest Hits" (Sparrow/EMI, 1996)
* "The Best Of BeBe And CeCe (Sparrow, 2006)
* "TBA" (Early 2008) [ [http://www.cecewinans.com CeCe Winans Website] ]

ingles

* "All Of Me" (Myrrh, 1996)
* "In Harm's Way" (Atlantic, 1997)
* "Thank You" (Atlantic, 1997)
* "Stay" (Atlantic, 1997)
* "I Wanna Be The Only One (featuring Eternal)" (Atlantic/EMI, 1997)
* "Coming Back Home" (Motown, 2000)
* "Jesus Children Of America" (Motown, 2000)
* "Tonight Tonight" (Motown, 2000) [ [http://www.cdandlp.com/liste/p_produit.cfm?lng=2&seller=0&what=artiste&srt=12&poch=&bargain=&news=&chunksize=48&currency=5&stringa=&stringt=&spop_id=&exact_search=1&pagination_easy_mode=0&n_ref_list=&general_state=&search_mode=2&list_index=&n_ref=949651407&tete=winans%20bebe%26cece&fmt=0&categ_rech=0&page=6&alpha=0 Tonight Tonight] Single Listing]
* "Do You Know Him" (Motown, 2002)
* "I Have A Dream" (TMG/Still Waters, 2005)
* "Safe From Harm" (TMG/Still Waters, 2005)
* "Love Me Anyway" (TMG/Still Waters, 2005)

Other appearances

* "Do You Feel Their Pain?" from "Justice" (Sparrow, 1989) duet with Steve Camp
* "All Of Me" from "My Utmost For His Highest: The Covenant" (Myrrh, 1996)
* "Stay With Me" from "The Prince Of Egypt: Inspirational" (Dreamworks, 2000)
* "I Don't Want To Be Wrong Today" from "We Are Family 2007: Artists & Friends for Hurricane Relief" (Point of Light Foundation, 2007)
* "Broken Bridges" 2006 CMT Film, sang with Willie Nelson and Toby Keith

ee also

*
*
*The Winans Family

References

External links

* [http://www.bebewinans.net/ www.bebewinans.net] - The official BeBe Winans Internet site
* [http://www.beberadio.com/ www.beberadio.com] The official BeBe Winans Radio Show Internet site