| The Winans Family | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan United States |
| Genres | Gospel |
| Years active | 1980s - Present |
The Winans family is an African-American family of Gospel music artists from Detroit, Michigan.
Contents |
Family members
- David "Pop" Winans, Sr. (father; b. April 20, 1934 [1] - d. April 8, 2009)[2]
- Delores "Mom" Winans (mother)
- David Winans Jr. (oldest, sibling #1)
- Ronald Winans (sibling #2) (d. 2005)[3]
- Carvin Winans (sibling #3 twins); children: Carvin Jr; Deborah "Joy;" Juan
- Marvin Winans (sibling #4 twins); married Vickie; children: Marvin Jr; Mario
- Michael Winans (sibling #5) married to Regina Winans; children: Mike (Michael Jr); LaShay; Austin Winans
- Daniel Winans (sibling #6)
- Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (sibling #7)
- Priscilla "CeCe" Winans (sibling #8) married Alvin Love Jr; children: Ashley; Alvin Love III
- Angelique Winans-Caldwell (sibling #9)
- Debra Renee Winans-Lowe (sibling #10)
Recording artists and groups within the family
Mom and Pop Winans
Delores and David Winans recorded together as "Mom and Pop Winans" and separately at various times as "Mom", "Pop", "David" or "Delores". They received a Grammy nomination for their CD "Mom & Pop Winans" in 1989.[4] Delores is currently signed to daughter CeCe's label PureSprings Gospel. Delores and David met while in the Lucille Lemon Choir conducted by James Cleveland. They organized yearly Christmas concerts at Mercy Hall in which their ten children participated.
The Winans
Brothers Ronald, Marvin, Carvin, and Michael Winans (the second, third, fourth and fifth siblings) grew up in Detroit, Michigan and were discovered by Andrae Crouch, who signed them to Light Records. Their first record, Introducing The Winans was produced in 1981. Their style was noted for its crossover efforts and received airplay on R&B radio. The group's last recording was in 1995, but they have subsequently been involved in various Winans family projects where they are credited as "The Winans" (e.g. November 2000's Christmas: Our Gifts To You).
David Winans II
He is an instrumentalist; first as bassist for "The Winanaires", the earliest version of the Winans as a gospel quartet, before they became "The Testimonial Singers". While they were the "Testimonial Singers", David switched to guitars. After the change to "The Winans", David continued to play guitar under the production of Bill Maxwell, and then Quincy Jones' label Qwest records for the Grammy award winning "Let My People Go" album. David also has solo Christian rock projects, Xairia, DWP, and more recently, David Winans' pi. He is married to Deborah Ann Coduto Winans and has a daughter, Seven Simone.
Ron Winans Family & Friends
In addition to his involvement with The Winans, Ron released a solo album in the late 1980s on the EMI Gospel label, and recorded a series of five CDs, Ron Winans Family & Friends). He also co-founded, with Gladys Knight, the Gladys and Ron's Chicken & Waffles restaurant chain. Ronald Winans died in 2005.[3].
Marvin Winans
Marvin Winans has focused on work as the pastor of Perfecting Church in Detroit, where he continues to record albums with the church's choir, under the name Marvin Winans and the Perfected Praise Choir. Marvin, along with Delores ("Mom") and nephew Alvin Love III (sister CeCe's son), signed to CeCe's record label PureSprings Gospel. PureSprings Gospel released Marvin's album Alone But Not Alone in September 2007.
Michael and Regina Winans
Michael Winans has performed and released several recordings with wife Regina, including the independent album Be Yourself. The album featured background vocals provided by their children Mike (Michael Jr) and LaShay. Their third CD was released in January 2008.[citation needed]
Daniel Winans
Daniel Winans (sixth sibling) is also a Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus winning Gospel musician and has produced several albums.
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Youngest brother and seventh sibling (Benjamin (BeBe Winans) recorded with younger sister and eighth sibling Priscilla (CeCe Winans) as "BeBe & CeCe Winans". Both subsequently recorded as solo acts, and have established solo careers. CeCe has also founded the PureSprings Gospel label, which has signed a number of artists, including family members: Delores ("Mom") Winans, Marvin Winans, and CeCe's son (with Alvin Love Jr), Alvin Love III.
Angie and Debbie Winans
Sisters Angie and Debbie Winans are the ninth and tenth of the siblings, and are the youngest members of the family. Their first album entitled "Angie and Debbie" was released in 1993 on Capital Records. It included "Light of Love", which featured pop diva Whitney Houston on background vocals. Stephanie Mills was also featured on background vocals on the song "Father, Father". Their second album entitled Bold (1997) contained the song "Not Natural", a song denouncing homosexuality. This led to protests by GLAAD. Angie Winans released a solo project in 2001 entitled Melodies of My Heart. Debbie Winans later released a children's album.
Winans Phase 2
Winans Phase 2 (also frequently referred to as Winans Phase II) was formed in 1998 and recorded on Myrrh Records. It consists of Marvin Winans Jr., Carvin Winans Jr., Michael Winans Jr., and Juan Winans, (son of Carvin, Sr.). Marvin Jr. started a production company called M2 Entertainment and produced songs for his mother Vickie Winans' album Woman To Woman. He also released a solo album entitled Image of a Man.
Vickie Winans
Vickie Winans is the former wife of Marvin and a solo artist. She was also raised in a musical family in Detroit. Her debut solo album in 1987 was entitled Be Encouraged.
Mario Winans
Mario Winans is a solo R&B artist. He debuted in 1997 and had a Billboard number one album in 2004. He is the son of Vickie Winans and Ronald Brown, and took the Winans name after Vickie married Marvin Winans in the late 1970s.
Marvin Winans Jr
Marvin Winans Jr, like his brother, is a solo gospel artist. He is the son of Vickie Winans and Marvin Winans.
The Winans Family in popular culture
On December 24, 1990 the Winans family appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Family members on the show included Ronald, Carvin, Marvin, and Michael (as "The Winans"), BeBe & CeCe (as a duo), Vickie, Mom and Pop, Daniel, David, Angie, and Debbie.
Hip-hop artists A Tribe Called Quest mention the family in their track "Buggin Out" from the album The Low End Theory; Phife raps "I float like gravity/ never had a cavity / got more rhymes than the Winans got family".
References
- ^ Date of David "Pops" Winans' birth per obituary in L.A. Times)
- ^ Parker, Karlayne (April 8, 2009). "David 'Pop' Winans, patriarch of gospel family, dies". BaltimoreSun.com. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/gospelrama/2009/04/david_pop_winans_patriarch_of.html.
- ^ a b Jones, Kim (June 17, 2005). "Ronald Winans Dies At 48". About.com. http://christianmusic.about.com/od/musicnews/a/aaronwinansobit.htm.
- ^ Associated Press (April 8, 2009). "Associated Press Obituary". Legacy.com. http://www.legacy.com/Obituaries.asp?page=LifeStory&personId=125933203.
External links
official web site |
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- AP Obituary for David "Pop" Winans, Sr. in the New York Times
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