CECE'S MASS APPEAL REACHES YOUNG & OLD; Plus, Winans encourages Whitney and Bobbi Kristina
buzzz worthy. . .
By Mona Austin
In 2008, I had the privilege of tapping into the wisdom of CeCe Winans. Mrs. Winans will be releasing new music this year, so I thought it fitting to reprint our "conversation" as there are tie-ins to current events, such as a comment about the late Whitey Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown.
So much has changed since this interview. Winans' close friend Whitney passed away and her daughter is currently fighting for her life in an Atlanta hospital. The interview preceded Winans performance at an AARP event. Really, the article is about her mass appeal, but the reader will glean so much more. Each time I am in the presence of greatness, I try to ask a question that will enrich all our lives. For me, the greatest piece of food for thought Winans shared was the idea of living a full life to "die empty," which she learned from the teachings of the late Dr. Myles Munroe.
I'm sure you'll find points that will enrich your life too. Enjoy!
Maybe it's her wide-open smile. Or her joyful personality. No. It's gotta be that beautiful voice.
Directed by master producer/choreographer Debbie Allen, the AARP 50th
anniversary show, "Songs of Soul and Inspiration," will be held on June
21, 2008 at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA.
By Mona Austin
In 2008, I had the privilege of tapping into the wisdom of CeCe Winans. Mrs. Winans will be releasing new music this year, so I thought it fitting to reprint our "conversation" as there are tie-ins to current events, such as a comment about the late Whitey Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown.
So much has changed since this interview. Winans' close friend Whitney passed away and her daughter is currently fighting for her life in an Atlanta hospital. The interview preceded Winans performance at an AARP event. Really, the article is about her mass appeal, but the reader will glean so much more. Each time I am in the presence of greatness, I try to ask a question that will enrich all our lives. For me, the greatest piece of food for thought Winans shared was the idea of living a full life to "die empty," which she learned from the teachings of the late Dr. Myles Munroe.
I'm sure you'll find points that will enrich your life too. Enjoy!
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 Winans: (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: If her name is on it, it's huge.
CeCe: I knew nothing about that when I accepted. They just asked me if I would come and sing a few songs and I was like okay. I'll do that. They were like you know Debbie Allen is gonna be producing and I'm like really? Actually after I saw the whole line-up I was like well can I just come?
MA: Chaka Khan! That's gonna be an amazing show.
CeCe: And Yolanda (Adams) and Shirley (Caesar), Anne Nesby and Queen Latifah. We're gonna have a good time. I believe the whole evening is geared toward just inspiring. I'm singing one of the songs from my latest CD. It's entitled "It Ain't Over." What's so funny is it's so perfect for an AARP event-to let them know don't give up on their plans. It's a beautiful thing to grow old.
MA: What would be your message to a seasoned crowd?
CeCe: It's a blessing to be seasoned. I look forward to every stage of my life and I believe it's because I've always had great role models in front of me. Even as a kid, I just loved to hang around the mothers of the church. People thought I was kinda crazy, but I loved sitting there and hearing the wisdom that they had. I had great wonderful, beautiful grandmothers that have gone on to be with the lord. I have a great mom who has always told her age and praised God for every year she's gotten older. So I'm not afraid of getting old. It's a blessing.
MA: There's something in those Winans genes because both of your parents are just as vibrant.
CeCe: Aren't they vibrant? It's just the Lord. Loving God, loving people knowing who you are. At every stage they're with me and I just want them to stay with me. I love my parents. I love to sit with them and hear the wisdom and the knowledge. I love to see them praise God and love on people and hang out with their friends. You know, being old is a blessing.
MA: Would you consider yourself an old soul?
CeCe: I am. I've been an old soul for a long time.
MA: You're working with your daughter as she blossoms in the ministry with your "Always Sisters" Conference and clothing line and all kinds of really great endeavors. Talk to me about that.
CeCe: I just think it's so important that you give children the courage that they need to become all that God has called them to be. So many of us settle for some of what God has called us to be. And a lot of times we feel like there's limitations; that we can't. But I love to encourage all children from all races, all nationalities-doesn't matter how much money you have. I heard Miles Monroe say something that is just profound. Everything he says to me is profound, but he preached a message entitled "Die Empty." I was like 'die empty'? He said you gotta die empty. He said one of the richest places that's full of dreams and opportunities is to go to the graveyard. So many people die without doing everything that they were capable of doing. So every dream you have, go for it. You know, everything that God puts in you go for it. Are you gonna mess up? Yeah, but you pick up yourself and keep going. I have a daughter, she's not afraid of anything. I think that kinda makes me nervous. (Laughter.)
MA: What's your parenting style like since that makes you a little nervous?
CeCe: I believe in encouraging my kids, but I believe in them being who they are. Love yourself. When you love yourself, then you can love other people. They're great young adults and I am so proud of both of them. They won't be perfect, but they'll continue to strive to do better and better. They love life. In my family we had a lot of laughter. Even through the hard times we laughed. And laughter is good medicine for every stage. You see our kids now-a-days, they don't even laugh. (Rhetorically.) Why ya'll so solemn? Why ya'll so deep? It's like laugh a little bit. Have some fun. We had fun.
MA: You know, I imagine with young people today there's so much peer pressure and their expectation levels for themselves is so high.
CeCe: Very true. Even with my kids I was determined that I wasn't gonna lose them to that. As parents you have to fight for that closeness. You have to fight for that relationship and you have to keep encouraging them to stand up and be different and don't have to worry about them following everything that comes in and goes out. That comes from being secure in who you are and nobody can teach you are like God.
MA: How old are they?
CeCe: My daughter's 20 and my son is 22. They're adults now. My son just graduated from college and my daughter is in her last year. They're not babies anymore. They're young, grown people.
MA: You were saying that you need to leave this world empty. Is there anything you have not done that you'd really like to do in your career, family or otherwise?
CeCe: I can't think of something that I have not done. Well we're working on a clothing line right now. We got a few things that we're working on that we haven't done yet. But I think I've done everything I've wanted to do. I've done more than I've wanted to do. I've done things that I didn't even want to do. But again when you just say 'Lord have your way' he opens up doors and he closes doors and you begin to thank him for the ones he opens and the ones he closes. He's allowed me to accomplish a lot of things. The girls conference is definitely the height of my life right now. Just love doing the girls conference. It just fires you up. When you pour wisdom, love and encouragement into the next generation it fires them up and they're ready to go out and change the world. And nothing compares to that. I think I'm getting a revelation that life is really to be lived for someone else.
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 Winans: (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: If her name is on it, it's huge.
CeCe: I knew nothing about that when I accepted. They just asked me if I would come and sing a few songs and I was like okay. I'll do that. They were like you know Debbie Allen is gonna be producing and I'm like really? Actually after I saw the whole line-up I was like well can I just come?
MA: Chaka Khan! That's gonna be an amazing show.
CeCe: And Yolanda (Adams) and Shirley (Caesar), Anne Nesby and Queen Latifah. We're gonna have a good time. I believe the whole evening is geared toward just inspiring. I'm singing one of the songs from my latest CD. It's entitled "It Ain't Over." What's so funny is it's so perfect for an AARP event-to let them know don't give up on their plans. It's a beautiful thing to grow old.
MA: What would be your message to a seasoned crowd?
CeCe: It's a blessing to be seasoned. I look forward to every stage of my life and I believe it's because I've always had great role models in front of me. Even as a kid, I just loved to hang around the mothers of the church. People thought I was kinda crazy, but I loved sitting there and hearing the wisdom that they had. I had great wonderful, beautiful grandmothers that have gone on to be with the lord. I have a great mom who has always told her age and praised God for every year she's gotten older. So I'm not afraid of getting old. It's a blessing.
MA: There's something in those Winans genes because both of your parents are just as vibrant.
CeCe: Aren't they vibrant? It's just the Lord. Loving God, loving people knowing who you are. At every stage they're with me and I just want them to stay with me. I love my parents. I love to sit with them and hear the wisdom and the knowledge. I love to see them praise God and love on people and hang out with their friends. You know, being old is a blessing.
MA: Would you consider yourself an old soul?
CeCe: I am. I've been an old soul for a long time.
MA: You're working with your daughter as she blossoms in the ministry with your "Always Sisters" Conference and clothing line and all kinds of really great endeavors. Talk to me about that.
CeCe: I just think it's so important that you give children the courage that they need to become all that God has called them to be. So many of us settle for some of what God has called us to be. And a lot of times we feel like there's limitations; that we can't. But I love to encourage all children from all races, all nationalities-doesn't matter how much money you have. I heard Miles Monroe say something that is just profound. Everything he says to me is profound, but he preached a message entitled "Die Empty." I was like 'die empty'? He said you gotta die empty. He said one of the richest places that's full of dreams and opportunities is to go to the graveyard. So many people die without doing everything that they were capable of doing. So every dream you have, go for it. You know, everything that God puts in you go for it. Are you gonna mess up? Yeah, but you pick up yourself and keep going. I have a daughter, she's not afraid of anything. I think that kinda makes me nervous. (Laughter.)
MA: What's your parenting style like since that makes you a little nervous?
CeCe: I believe in encouraging my kids, but I believe in them being who they are. Love yourself. When you love yourself, then you can love other people. They're great young adults and I am so proud of both of them. They won't be perfect, but they'll continue to strive to do better and better. They love life. In my family we had a lot of laughter. Even through the hard times we laughed. And laughter is good medicine for every stage. You see our kids now-a-days, they don't even laugh. (Rhetorically.) Why ya'll so solemn? Why ya'll so deep? It's like laugh a little bit. Have some fun. We had fun.
MA: You know, I imagine with young people today there's so much peer pressure and their expectation levels for themselves is so high.
CeCe: Very true. Even with my kids I was determined that I wasn't gonna lose them to that. As parents you have to fight for that closeness. You have to fight for that relationship and you have to keep encouraging them to stand up and be different and don't have to worry about them following everything that comes in and goes out. That comes from being secure in who you are and nobody can teach you are like God.
MA: How old are they?
CeCe: My daughter's 20 and my son is 22. They're adults now. My son just graduated from college and my daughter is in her last year. They're not babies anymore. They're young, grown people.
MA: You were saying that you need to leave this world empty. Is there anything you have not done that you'd really like to do in your career, family or otherwise?
CeCe: I can't think of something that I have not done. Well we're working on a clothing line right now. We got a few things that we're working on that we haven't done yet. But I think I've done everything I've wanted to do. I've done more than I've wanted to do. I've done things that I didn't even want to do. But again when you just say 'Lord have your way' he opens up doors and he closes doors and you begin to thank him for the ones he opens and the ones he closes. He's allowed me to accomplish a lot of things. The girls conference is definitely the height of my life right now. Just love doing the girls conference. It just fires you up. When you pour wisdom, love and encouragement into the next generation it fires them up and they're ready to go out and change the world. And nothing compares to that. I think I'm getting a revelation that life is really to be lived for someone else.
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.
