Bebe Winans Biography
Benjamin Winans, 17 September 1962, Detroit, Michigan, USA. The seventh child of the Winans gospel family, BeBe enjoyed crossover success performing with his sister CeCe. The duo recorded two gold albums and 1991's platinum-selling Different Lifestyles, and won several R&B and gospel awards. In 1989, BeBe won a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male for his contribution to "Abundant Life", a track on his brother Ronald's Family & Friends Choir. He also contributed as a producer to the Grammy-winning soundtrack for the Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner movie The Bodyguard. Additional production work for Gladys Knight, Bobby Brown and Stephanie Mills followed as his recording career with his sister was put on hold.
Winans co-starred with Mills in a 1996 run of Your Arms Too Short To Box With God, before making a long-awaited return to recording with his solo debut in 1997. Released in October, the star-studded affair utilised leading producers including Rhett Lawrence, Arif Mardin and Keith Andes in an obvious attempt to capture the modern soul market. Winans' voice cut above the occasionally bland backing music, particularly on a stand-out collaboration with Hezekiah Walker's Love Fellowship Crusade Choir on "Oh Happy Day". The video for opening track "In Harm's Way", a song inspired by brother Ronald's recovery from heart disease, was directed by actor Denzel Washington. Winans later appeared in the touring show of the Broadway musical The Civil War. He also signed a new recording contract with Motown Records, making his debut for the label in August 2000 with Love & Freedom. The album and its live follow-up were released under the shortened BeBe moniker. He made a cameo appearance in the remake of The Manchurian Candidate during 2004.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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