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Maybe it's her wide-open smile. Or her joyful personality. No. It's gotta be that beautiful voice.
It's difficult to pinpoint in a word, but there's just something about CeCe "Priscilla" Winans that makes her just lovable as an artist and a person. Call it the "it factor."
The multiple award-winning gospel star has commercial appeal that has landed toothpaste ads, appearances on mainstream shows (Oprah, 7th Heaven, American Idol) and wooed audiences of all ages and races with her contemporary brand of inspirational music for over two decades.
As the eighth child of the Winans family dynasty, she became popular singing duets with her brother BeBe that dodged genre classification, successfully becoming, arguably, the first gospel cross-over artists. (A new recording after a 13 year hiatus is expected in late 2008 from the sibling act.)
CeCe just released her eighth solo CD, "Thy Kingdom Come" (Pure Springs Gospel), and is busy with other projects in the works, such as a joint clothing line with her daughter. Along with other soulful female vocalists, Winans, 48, will be performing in the AARP sponsored concert "Songs of Soul and Inspiration" this month.
After a conversation with CeCe Winans about her latest endeavors, it's clear that a combination of her best qualities and a love for God that transcends all of them -- make her irresistible.
Mona Austin: You have some exciting things going on. I find it very interesting that you're involved in an event for AARP (American Association of Retired Professionals). Tell me how you got selected for that.
CeCe Wianns: (Laughter) Ya'll trying to make me older than what I am. It's going fast enough.
MA: You appeal to everyone. I know you appeal to young people with your conference. So now you're all the way on the other end.
CeCe: Yeah. The other end. You know I love this other end. I really do. God has blessed me to have great older people in my life and I thank God. The older I get hopefully I'm just getting wiser and wiser each year that goes by. I don't know how I got involved in it. They contacted me and asked me to be a part of "Soul Songs of Inspiration" and that's what I do. I'm called to make God even more famous than what he is. People have to understand there's power in praise and power in worship. So to be a part of this event is exciting. I didn't know it was such a big event. It has a huge lineup f some incredible people. It's being produced by Debbie Allen--
MA: That's powerful. You were very good friends with Whitney Houston and obviously she's had a lot of challenges.
CeCe: Rough challenges.
MA: Recently her daughter has been having the challenges that she's had. Whitney seems to be coming around the corner and we're all so grateful for her. What would you say to encourage your friend - or even anyone else - or what have you said to encourage her?
CeCe: Ohhh. The same thing I tell everybody. Same thing I tell Bobbi Kris, 'God loves you and he has great plans for you.' We all have to make choices and our choices will determine our tomorrow.
MA: Do you still communicate with her from time to time?
CeCe: Oh yeah! All the time. Bobbi Kris is my god daughter and Whitney is my dear friend. I haven't talked to her in a few months, but they came to our girls conference last year and loved it. So the enemy tries to take us all off our course, but the devil is a lie. And you keep prayin' and everybody has to experience different things until they come to their moment. We just pray for mercy love, peace, happiness. And you have to know that every things 'gon be alright.
FOR COMPLETE INTERVIEW CLICK HERE!
It's difficult to pinpoint in a word, but there's just something about CeCe "Priscilla" Winans that makes her just lovable as an artist and a person. Call it the "it factor."
The multiple award-winning gospel star has commercial appeal that has landed toothpaste ads, appearances on mainstream shows (Oprah, 7th Heaven, American Idol) and wooed audiences of all ages and races with her contemporary brand of inspirational music for over two decades.
As the eighth child of the Winans family dynasty, she became popular singing duets with her brother BeBe that dodged genre classification, successfully becoming, arguably, the first gospel cross-over artists. (A new recording after a 13 year hiatus is expected in late 2008 from the sibling act.)
CeCe just released her eighth solo CD, "Thy Kingdom Come" (Pure Springs Gospel), and is busy with other projects in the works, such as a joint clothing line with her daughter. Along with other soulful female vocalists, Winans, 48, will be performing in the AARP sponsored concert "Songs of Soul and Inspiration" this month.
After a conversation with CeCe Winans about her latest endeavors, it's clear that a combination of her best qualities and a love for God that transcends all of them -- make her irresistible.
Mona Austin: You have some exciting things going on. I find it very interesting that you're involved in an event for AARP (American Association of Retired Professionals). Tell me how you got selected for that.
CeCe Wianns: (Laughter) Ya'll trying to make me older than what I am. It's going fast enough.
MA: You appeal to everyone. I know you appeal to young people with your conference. So now you're all the way on the other end.
CeCe: Yeah. The other end. You know I love this other end. I really do. God has blessed me to have great older people in my life and I thank God. The older I get hopefully I'm just getting wiser and wiser each year that goes by. I don't know how I got involved in it. They contacted me and asked me to be a part of "Soul Songs of Inspiration" and that's what I do. I'm called to make God even more famous than what he is. People have to understand there's power in praise and power in worship. So to be a part of this event is exciting. I didn't know it was such a big event. It has a huge lineup f some incredible people. It's being produced by Debbie Allen--
MA: That's powerful. You were very good friends with Whitney Houston and obviously she's had a lot of challenges.
CeCe: Rough challenges.
MA: Recently her daughter has been having the challenges that she's had. Whitney seems to be coming around the corner and we're all so grateful for her. What would you say to encourage your friend - or even anyone else - or what have you said to encourage her?
CeCe: Ohhh. The same thing I tell everybody. Same thing I tell Bobbi Kris, 'God loves you and he has great plans for you.' We all have to make choices and our choices will determine our tomorrow.
MA: Do you still communicate with her from time to time?
CeCe: Oh yeah! All the time. Bobbi Kris is my god daughter and Whitney is my dear friend. I haven't talked to her in a few months, but they came to our girls conference last year and loved it. So the enemy tries to take us all off our course, but the devil is a lie. And you keep prayin' and everybody has to experience different things until they come to their moment. We just pray for mercy love, peace, happiness. And you have to know that every things 'gon be alright.
FOR COMPLETE INTERVIEW CLICK HERE!
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