Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as (in terms of the varying music styles) to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music.

Like other forms of Christian music, the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

Style[link]

	"How Great Thou Art" Yolanda Adams performs "How Great Thou Art" at the White House's Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement in 2010. "How Great Thou Art" audio only file
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

Gospel music in general is characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian. Subgenres include contemporary gospel, urban contemporary gospel (sometimes referred to as "black gospel"), Southern gospel, and modern gospel music (now more commonly known as praise and worship music or contemporary Christian music). Several forms of gospel music utilize choirs, use piano or Hammond organ, drums, bass guitar and, increasingly, electric guitar. In comparison with hymns, which are generally of a statelier measure, the gospel song is expected to have a refrain and often a more syncopated rhythm.

Many attempts have been made to describe the style of late 19th and early 20th century gospel songs in general. Christ-Janer, et al. said "the music was tuneful and easy to grasp . . . rudimentary harmonies . . . use of the chorus . . . varied metric schemes . . . motor rhythms were characteristic. . . . The device of letting the lower parts echo rhythmically a motive announced by the sopranos became a mannerism . . ."^[1]

Patrick and Sydnor emphasize the notion that gospel music is "sentimental", quoting Sankey as saying, "Before I sing I must feel", and they call attention to the comparison of the original version of Rowley’s "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story" with Sankey's version.^[2] Gold said, "Essentially the gospel songs are songs of testimony, persuasion, religious exhortation, or warning. Usually the chorus or refrain technique is found."^[3]

History[link]

One can pursue the roots of gospel music through the academic discipline of ethno-musicology (going back to Europe and Africa), through a study of the 2,000-year history of church music, and through a study of rural folk music traditions. When it comes to the African American experience, gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century.^[4]

Coming out of an oral tradition, gospel music typically utilizes a great deal of repetition. This is a device to promote group participation.^{[citation needed]} And the repetition of the words allowed those who could not read the opportunity to participate in worship. During this time, hymns and sacred songs were lined and repeated in a call and response fashion, and the Negro spirituals and work songs emerged. Due to the enslaved Africans attending their masters’ worship services, the 17th-century influences on Negro spirituals and work songs were the traditional hymns which the enslaved had heard in worship services. Worship services served several purposes; not only were they a means by which the Africans could be monitored, but they also served as a reinforcement of the slavery indoctrination.^{[citation needed]}

Quite often, readings were from the Apostle Paul's writings which outlined being good servants and loving, obeying, and trusting one’s master. At this time it was also illegal for more than a handful of blacks to congregate without supervision. This meant that the black people were not free to worship on their own and had to attend worship services with their master. At these services, their understanding of Christian doctrine grew, and music played a role in that experience. The worship music (hymns) of the whites became the backdrop for the music that the enslaved Africans would use at their eventual worship meetings.^{[citation needed]}

Most of the churches did not have musical instruments to use. There would be guitars and tambourines available every now and then, but not frequently. There were not regular church choirs that existed at this time, and they did not use a piano very often. Most of the singing was done a cappella.^[5]

Gospel also lends some of its more modern roots to the mass revival movement (starting with Dwight L. Moody, whose musician was Ira D. Sankey) and the Holiness-Pentecostal movement.^[6] Prior to the meeting of Moody and Sankey in 1870, there was an American rural/frontier history of revival and camp meeting songs, but the gospel hymn was of a different character, and it served the needs of mass revivals in the great cities.^[7]

The revival movement employed popular singers and song leaders (starting with Ira Sankey) who used songs by writers such as George F. Root, P. P. Bliss, Charles H. Gabriel, William Howard Doane, and Fanny Crosby.^[8] The first published use of the term “gospel” to describe this kind of music was apparently in the 1870s. In 1874, P. P. Bliss edited a collection titled Gospel Songs, and in 1875 P. P. Bliss and Ira Sankey issued Gospel Hymns, no’s. 1 to 6, an extension of the 1874 Gospel Songs.^[9] Sankey and Bliss’s collection can be found in many libraries today.

The popularity of revival singers and the openness of rural churches to this type of music (in spite of its initial use in city revivals) led to the late 19th and early 20th century establishment of gospel music publishing houses such as those of Homer Rodeheaver, E. O. Excell, Charlie Tillman, and Charles Tindley. These publishers were in the market for large quantities of new music, providing an outlet for the creative work of many songwriters and composers^[10]

20th century[link]

Exemplification of gospel music: The Bible, which is the word of God for Christians and a CD that represents the music in general.

The holiness-Pentecostal movement, or sanctified movement, appealed to people who were not attuned to sophisticated church music, and holiness worship has used any type of instrumentation that congregation members might bring in, from tambourines to electric guitars. Pentecostal churches readily adopted and contributed to the gospel music publications of the early 20th century. Late 20th century musicians such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mahalia Jackson, Andrae Crouch, and the Blackwood Brothers either were raised in a Pentecostal environment, or have acknowledged the influence of that tradition.^[11]

The advent of radio in the 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music, and James D. Vaughan used radio as an integral part of his business model, which also included traveling quartets to publicize the gospel music books he published several times a year.^[12] Virgil O. Stamps and Jesse R. Baxter studied Vaughan’s business model and by the late 1920s were running a heavy competition for Vaughan.^[13] The 1920s also saw the marketing of gospel records by groups such as the Carter Family.

The first person to introduce the ragtime influence to gospel accompaniment as well as to play the piano on a gospel recording was Ms. Arizona Dranes.^[14]

In African-American music, gospel quartets developed an a cappella style following the earlier success of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The 1930s saw the Fairfield Four, the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Five Blind Boys, the Swan Silvertones, the Charioteers, and the Golden Gate Quartet. Racism divided the nation, and these groups were best known in the African-American community, but some in the white community began to follow them.^[15] In addition to these high profile quartets, there were many black gospel musicians performing in the 1920s and 30s.

In the 1930s, in Chicago, Thomas A. Dorsey (best known as author of the song, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"), who had spent the 1920s writing secular music, turned full time to gospel music, established a publishing house, and invented the black gospel style of piano music.^[16] He had many trials in his life that he overcame concerning his health and his wife died. He dedicated all of his musical talent to the service of the LORD. Thomas gained knowledge of his religion from his father who was a Baptist minister and took up on piano from his mother who was his teacher. He started working with lack blues pianist when they moved to Atlanta.^[17] It has been said that 1930 was the year when modern gospel music began, because the National Baptist Convention first publicly endorsed the music at its 1930 meeting.^[18] Dorsey was responsible for developing the musical careers of many African-American artists, such as Mahalia Jackson.^[19]

Meanwhile, the radio continued to develop an audience for gospel music, a fact that was commemorated in Albert E. Brumley's 1937 song, "Turn Your Radio On" (which is still being published in gospel song books). In 1972, a recording of "Turn Your Radio On" by the Lewis Family was nominated for "Gospel Song of the Year" in the Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards.^[20]

Following the Second World War, gospel music moved into major auditoriums, and gospel music concerts became quite elaborate.^[21] In 1950, black gospel was featured at Carnegie Hall when Joe Bostic produced the Negro Gospel and Religious Music Festival. He repeated it the next year with an expanded list of performing artists, and in 1959 moved to Madison Square Garden.^[22] Today, black gospel and white gospel are distinct genres, with distinct audiences. In white gospel, there is a large Gospel Music Association and a Gospel Music Hall of Fame, which includes a few black artists, such as Mahalia Jackson, but which ignores most black artists.^[23] In the black community, James Cleveland established the Gospel Music Workshop of America in 1969.

Gospel music genres and subgenres[link]

This article is a part in a series on Gospel music

Roots and Beginnings  Christian Hymns Negro Spirituals Sacred Harp Shape note

Genres and Subgenres  Southern Gospel Gospel blues Bluegrass gospel Christian country music Country Gospel Progressive Southern Gospel Urban contemporary gospel Christian hip hop

Related Music Genres  CCM

Associations and Groups  Gospel Music Hall of Fame Gospel Music Workshop of America National Gospel Singing Convention National Quartet Convention Australian Gospel Music Association GMA Canada

Gospel Music Awards  GMA Dove Awards Stellar Awards Covenant Awards Singing News Fan Awards Australian Gospel Music Awards

Related WikiProjects  Christianity Wikiproject Gospel music Wikiproject Southern Gospel Wikiproject

Category  • Musicians See also: Christianity: Portal  • Category Christian music: Portal  • Category

This box: view talk edit

Urban contemporary gospel[link]

Urban contemporary gospel (sometimes still marketed as "Black gospel" to help distinguish it from other forms of Christian music) is a subgenre of contemporary gospel music.^{[citation needed]}

Gospel blues[link]

Gospel blues is a blues-based form of gospel music (a combination of blues guitar and evangelistic lyrics).

Southern gospel[link]

Southern gospel, is sometimes called "quartet music" by fans due to the original all male, tenor-lead-baritone-bass quartet make-up. This type of music deals with the everyday problems of life and how God answers those problems. Southern gospel depends on strong harmonies, often with extremely wide ranges (i.e. extremely low bass, falsetto tenor.) Flavors in Southern gospel range from ultra-traditional early quartet music (i.e. the Statesmen Quartet, circa 1940-50) to very cutting edge sounds (i.e. current Signature Sound quartet discography).

Progressive Southern gospel[link]

Progressive Southern gospel is an American music genre that has grown out of Southern gospel over the past couple of decades.

Christian country music[link]

Christian country music, sometimes referred to as country gospel music, is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair, is also known as inspirational country. Christian country over the years has progressed into a mainstream country sound with inspirational or positive country lyrics. In the middle 1990s, Christian country hit its highest popularity. So much so that mainstream artists like Larry Gatlin, Charlie Daniels and Barbara Mandrell, just to name a few, began recording music that had this positive Christian country flair. These mainstream artists have now become award winners in this genre.^[24][25]

Bluegrass gospel[link]

Bluegrass gospel music is rooted in American mountain music.

Celtic gospel[link]

Celtic gospel music infuses gospel music with a Celtic flair, and is quite popular in countries such as Ireland; the Dublin Gospel Choir has had over 10 years' success with Celtic gospel music.

Controversies[link]

Some proponents of "standard" hymns generally dislike gospel music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, Patrick and Syndor complain that commercial success led to a proliferation of such music, and "deterioration, even in a standard which to begin with was not high, resulted."^[26] They went on to say, "there is no doubt that a deterioration in taste follows the use of this type of hymn and tune; it fosters an attachment to the trivial and sensational which dulls and often destroys sense of the dignity and beauty which best befit the song that is used in the service of God."^[27]

Gold reviewed the issue in 1958, and collected a number of quotations similar to the complaints of Patrick and Syndor. However, he also provided this quotation: "Gospel hymnody has the distinction of being America's most typical contribution to Christian song. As such, it is valid in its inspiration and in its employment." (Robert Stevenson, Religion in Life, Winter, 1950-51.)^[28]

Today, with historical distance, there is a greater acceptance of such gospel songs into official denominational hymnals. For example, the United Methodist Church made this acceptance explicit in The Faith We Sing, a supplement to the official denominational hymnal. In the preface, the editors say, "Experience has shown that some older treasures were missed when the current hymnals were compiled,"^[29] a diplomatic way of saying, "It's all right to sing these songs in church."

See also[link]

• Gospel Music Hall of Fame
• Gospel music WikiProject
• List of gospel musicians
• Museum of African American Music
• Phillip Paul Bliss House
• Soul music
• Stellar Awards

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Blackwell, Lois. The Wings of a Dove: The Story of Gospel Music in America. Norfolk: Donning, 1978.
• Boyer, Horace Clarence, How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark, 1995, ISBN 0-252-06877-7.
• Broughton, Viv, Too Close To Heaven - The Illustrated History Of Gospel Music, Midnight Books, 1996, ISBN 1-900516-00-4
• Albert E Brumley & Sons, The Best of Albert E Brumley, Gospel Songs, 1966, ISBN na-paperback Amazing Grace
• Cleall, Charles. Sixty Songs From Sankey. London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, Ltd., 1960.
• Darden, Robert, People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, ISBN 0-8264-1752-3.
• Downey, James C. The Gospel Hymn 1875-1930. University of Southern Mississippi, MA, 1963.
• Eskew, Harry. “Gospel Music, I” in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980), VII, 549-554.
• Goff, James R. “The Rise of Southern Gospel Music,” Church History, v. 67, no. 4, Dec. 1998, pp. 722ff.
• Hanson, Kenneth, The Hymnody and Hymnals of the Restoration Movement. Butler University, BD, 1951.
• Heilbut, Tony, The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times Limelight Editions, 1997, ISBN 0-87910-034-6.
• McNeil, W. K., Ed. Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music. Routledge, 2005. ISBN 0-415-94179-2.
• Stevenson, Arthur L. The Story of Southern Hymnology. Roanoke, VA: Stone Printing and Manufacturing, 1931.
• Zolten, Jerry, Great God A' Mighty!:The Dixie Hummingbirds - Celebrating The Rise Of Soul Gospel Music, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-19-515272-7.

External links[link]

Professional organizations[link]

Firebird Arts Alliance - Encourages all races and religions to join

Gospel Music Association - Acknowledges all forms of Gospel Music

Gospel News Today - Primarily Gospel News

Gospel Viu - Gospel Without Borders

Gospel Wire - Primarily urban contemporary gospel

Pacific Gospel Music Association - Known for Southern Gospel

Southern Gospel Music Association - Known for Southern Gospel

Media outlets[link]

Black Family Channel

Bobby Jones Gospel

Gospel Music Channel

The Inspirational Network

Christian Broadcasting Network

Daystar Television Network

Trinity Broadcasting Network

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Marvin Lawrence Winans (born March 5, 1958)^[1] is an American gospel singer and member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

Life and career[link]

Personal life[link]

Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan,^[2] the fourth of 10 children of Delores (née Ransom) and David Glenn Winans, Sr., who recorded together as "Mom and Pop Winans".^[1][3][4] His siblings David II, Carvin (his fraternal twin), Benjamin (BeBe), Daniel, Michael, Ronald, Priscilla (CeCe), Deborah (Debbie), Angelique (Angie) are also musically gifted and have careers in the music industry singing, writing and producing. Marvin met and married Vickie Bowman, to whom he was married for 16 years until their divorce in 1995. His sons, Marvin Jr. (Coconut), Josiah Winans, and stepson Mario (Skeeter) are also in the music business. Mario is a producer and R&B singer. Marvin Jr., once a member of Winans Phase 2, is now a solo artist and is also a producer, and Josiah Winans is Also a Producer featured on Marvin jr's first solo project.

Musical career[link]

Winans sang in the 1970s with his brothers Ronald, Carvin (his twin) and Michael (the group also included others) as The Testimonial Singers. Their first performance was at a high school talent show. In 1975 the group's name was changed to The Winans. Their musical careers spanned both the 1980s and 1990s. The Winans, who were discovered by Andrae Crouch, released their first album under the new group's name, entitled Introducing The Winans, in 1981. The Winans were greatly influenced by the Queen of Gospel Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans. An organist and pianist, Marvin also wrote songs, and produced for The Winans records, for solo projects from family members, and on other gospel releases. For his vocals on the 1985 song "Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay", Winans was awarded a Grammy for Best Male Soul Gospel Performance. He and several of his siblings and family members sang the Winans hit "Tomorrow" at Whitney Houston's funeral. ^[5]

In 2007, Winans released his first solo recording, Alone, But Not Alone.

Pastor, Perfecting Church (Detroit)[link]

Winans, a pastor, founded The Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1990s, and released an album with the church's choir in 1992 entitled Introducing Perfected Praise. A second album, Friends, appeared in 2001. His 2007 release, Alone but Not Alone, was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album. On Saturday, February 18, 2012, at noon (EST), Winans preached the eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral, at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Marvin Winans at the Internet Movie Database

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (November 2008)

Juanita Bynum (born January 16, 1959) is an American Pentecostal televangelist, author, actress and gospel singer.

Early life[link]

Prophetess Juanita Bynum is one of 5 children, from the marriage of Elder Thomas Bynum Sr. and Katherine Bynum. She grew up in Chicago, and received a starring role in Perry Middle School's annual play, My Fair Lady. Bynum attended Saints' Academy Church of God in Christ (COGIC) High School (a boarding school) in Lexington, Mississippi.^[1] Bynum was raised as an attendee at St. Luke Church of God in Christ, in Chicago, a Pentecostal church.

Personal life[link]

After Bynum graduated from high school, she started preaching in nearby churches and at revivals. Gaining some notoriety at this point, she began a series of what she calls "Lessons in Submission".^[1]

In 1996 Bishop T.D. Jakes invited Bynum to attend one of his singles' conferences, where she rose from attendee to speaker in 2 years. In 1997, she released "No More Sheets," a video and audiotape series about her changed sexual lifestyle. In July 1999, Bynum re-preached "No More Sheets" at Jakes' 52,000 attendee Woman, Thou Art Loosed! Conference in Atlanta. She began appearing regularly on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

In 2000, Bynum taught a class on the subjects of character, submission and time management at New Greater Bethel Ministries in Jamaica, New York, attended by a class of approximately 70 women. While teaching, her Women's Weapons of Power Conference was organized. The Weapons of Power conference was held annually through 2006.

Marriage[link]

Bynum was first married in the early 1980s, but the marriage ended in divorce. Bynum suffered domestic abuse in that marriage, but that she had "made a vow that I would not talk about that situation because it was over 20 years ago."^[2]

Bynum married Thomas Wesley Weeks, III in 2002.^[3]

Early on August 22, 2007, Bynum was beaten by her husband, who eventually pled guilty to aggravated assault charges. Weeks was given 3 years probation, 200 hours of non-church related community service, and ordered to attend anger management counseling.^[3] In June 2008 Bynum and Weeks were divorced.^[4]

Discography[link]

• Morning Glory (Shekinah, 1999)
• Morning Glory, Volume 2: Behind The Veil (Shekinah, 2000)
• A Piece of My Passion (Flow, 2005)
• Gospel Goes Classical (featuring Jonathan Butler) (Flow, 2006)
• Christmas at Home with Juanita (Flow, 2006)
• Pour My Love On You (Flow, 2008)
• More Passion (Flow, 2010)
• The Diary of Juanita Bynum (Son Flower / Spirit Rising / Music World Entertainment, 2010)

References[link]

The Summit 2000 (Pensacola,Fl) Women Weapons of Power Conference 2001 "Come to the Garden" (Pensacola,Fl) Women Weapons of Power Conference 2002 "Pray" (Tampa.Fl) Weapons of Power Conference 2003 "It's Time for Revival" (St. Louis,Mo) Women on the Front-line Summit 2005(Tampa,Fl) Women on the Front-line Summit 2005 (Los Angelas, Cal) The Threshing Floor Revival 2006 "it's a refreshing from the lord" Women on the Front-line Conference "The Reunion/Accessing the power within"

External links[link]

• Official website
• Juanita Bynum at the Internet Movie Database

BeBe Winans
BeBe Winans
Background information
Birth name	Benjamin Winans
Also known as	BeBe
Born	(1962-09-17) September 17, 1962 (age 49)
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	Gospel, R&B, soul
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, record producer, actor
Instruments	Voice
Years active	1984–present
Labels	PTL Records (1984–87), Sparrow/Capitol (1987–98), Atlantic Records (1997–98), Motown (1999–2003), Still Waters/Hidden Beach (2004–06), The Movement Group (2004–present)
Associated acts	CeCe Winans, Winans family
Website	BeBeWinans.net

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

The PTL Club[link]

He released several albums, first with his sister CeCe Winans, and later as a solo artist. Jim Bakker's television show "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. But in 2009 they did the album "Still" together. On it was the song "Close to You," which won a Dove award in 2010 in the category of Urban Recorded Song (in a tie).

Solo career[link]

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.

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 trio 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.^[1]

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.^[2]

President George W. Bush puts his arm around singer BeBe Winans as he sings God Bless America during the 'Saluting Those Who Serve' event at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. on January 18, 2005. Also pictured are, from left, Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, and Vice President Dick Cheney.

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.^[3] 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.^[4] 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".^[5] 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.^[6] 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.^[7]

Winans performed a duet with Eden Espinosa on the 2008 Alma Awards which was broadcast on ABC on September 12. 2008. WInans and Espinosa sang "I Don't Know Much" as a tribute to honoree Linda Ronstadt. Bebe performed "Born for This" on the Obama/Biden Inauguration tribute Change is Now CD+DVD set. BeBe & CeCe Winans have confirmed a reunion album scheduled for early 2009.

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

BeBe is currently one of the judges for a Gospel music competition show on BET called, "Sunday Best" along with gospel duo Mary Mary. He was invited to participate in the remake of We Are The World to benefit Haiti after the earthquake. Bebe Winans together with Cece Winans and Mary Mary featuring the West Angeles Choir performed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno ^[8]

Legal issues[link]

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,^[9] 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 Winans was arrested March 11, 2009 on charges of domestic assault for allegedly pushing his ex-wife to the ground in front of their children during an argument. According to a court filing, Winans and his former spouse got into a "verbal altercation" on February 13 about "custody issues dealing with their children."^[10]

On December 4, 2009, the domestic assault criminal charges against Bebe Winans were dismissed.^[11][12] An AP news report indicates the court action resulted from a pre-trial diversion deal offered by the prosecution, calling for Winans to attend domestic violence counseling in exchange for dismissal of the charges.^[13]

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

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

As BeBe & CeCe Winans[link]

• 1984: Lord Lift Us Up (PTL)
• 1987: BeBe & CeCe Winans (Sparrow/Capitol)
• 1988: Heaven (Sparrow/Capitol)
• 1991: Different Lifestyles (Sparrow/Capitol)
• 1993: First Christmas (Sparrow/Capitol)
• 1994: Relationships (Sparrow/Capitol)
• 1996: Greatest Hits (Sparrow/EMI)
• 2006: The Best Of BeBe And CeCe (Sparrow)
• 2009: Still (B&C/ Malaco)^[14]

Singles[link]

• 1996: "All Of Me" (Myrrh)
• 1997: "In Harm's Way" (Atlantic)
• 1997: "Thank You" (Atlantic)
• 1997: "Stay" (Atlantic)
• 2000: "Coming Back Home" (Motown)
• 2000: "Jesus Children Of America" (Motown)
• 2000: "Tonight Tonight" (Motown)^[15]
• 2002: "Do You Know Him" (Motown)
• 2005: "I Have A Dream" (TMG/Still Waters)
• 2005: "Safe From Harm" (TMG/Still Waters)
• 2005: "Love Me Anyway" (TMG/Still Waters)

Other appearances[link]

• 1984: "Give Him Thanks" from Face To Face (Light) with The Winans
• 1984: "Golden Opportunity" from Tomorrow (Light) with The Winans
• 1984: Jesus Commands Us to Go!, Keith Green (background)
• 1986: "Its Only Natural" and "Arms Of Love" Kaleidoscope (Dayspring) with Keith Thomas
• 1987: "Abundant Life" from Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. I (Selah)
• 1987: "Love Is You" from Daniel Winans & Second Half (A&M) duet with Marvin Winans
• 1988: Live: Radically Saved, Carman (background)
• 1989: "Do You Feel Their Pain?" from Justice (Sparrow) duet with Steve Camp
• 1991: "A Song Of Consecration" from Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. III (Selah)
• 1992: "I'm Going Up" from White Men Can't Jump (soundtrack) (EMI) with CeeCee
• 1992: "Still Called Today" from The Great Adventure (Sparrow) with Steven Curtis Chapman
• 1993: "For Unto Us a Child Is Born" from The New Young Messiah (Sparrow) with CeeCee
• 1994: "He's On Your Side" duet with Monique Walker on the Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir album, Live in Atlanta (Benson)
• 1995: "You've Got a Friend" from Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King (Atlantic) with CeeCee and Aretha Franklin
• 1996: "All Of Me" from My Utmost For His Highest: The Covenant (Myrrh)
• 1996: "But God" from Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir Vol. IV (Selah)
• 1997: "I Wanna Be The Only One" with Eternal from Before the Rain (Atlantic/EMI)
• 1998: "He's Coming Soon" from The Apocalypse (soundtrack) (Straightway)
• 1998: "River Jordan" from Civil War: The Nashville Sessions (Atlantic)
• 1998: "One Voice" from "Never Say Never":Brandy Norwood (Atlantic)
• 1998: "Stay with Me" from The Prince of Egypt: Inspirational (DreamWorks)
• 1999: "He Watches Over You" duet with Sandi Patty from Songs From The Book (Word)
• 1999: "I Will Follow Christ" trio with Bob Carlisle and Clay Crosse
• 2001: "Jesus Children of America" with Marvin Winans and Stevie Wonder from Boycott (HBO Film soundtrack)
• 2006: "Broken Bridges" (CMT film) with Willie Nelson and Toby Keith
• 2007: "I Don't Want To Be Wrong Today" from We Are Family 2007: Artists & Friends for Hurricane Relief (Point of Light Foundation)
• 2010: "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"

See also[link]

• BeBe Winans albums
• BeBe and CeCe Winans albums
• The Winans Family

References[link]

External links[link]

• www.bebewinans.net - The official BeBe Winans Internet site
• www.beberadio.com The official BeBe Winans Radio Show Internet site

Tamela J. Mann (born June 9, 1966) is an American actress and gospel singer, known for her role as Cora in Tyler Perry's plays, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Meet the Browns, and What's Done in the Dark. Mann began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family. Mann was a featured soloist on several tracks while with Franklin's group, including "Don't Take Your Joy Away", "Now Behold the Lamb", and "Lean on Me", the latter of which also included Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, R. Kelly, and Bono. She released her own album, the Master Plan, in 2009.

Mann has also made appearances in movies such as Kingdom Come and Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Mann recorded some songs on the soundtrack for Diary of a Mad Black Woman, including participating in the song "Father (Can You Hear Me)". Mann is the wife of David Mann, who is known for his role as "Deacon Leroy Brown" in several of Perry's plays. Tamela Mann is known for her work with Tyler Perry.

Early life[link]

Mann was born in Fort Worth, Texas and is the youngest of 14 children. Mann and her siblings grew up in a very spiritual home which was grounded in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). They were properly reared by their mother whom they called “Mother Eppe.” Mother Eppe believed in and exercised solid bible principles. Mother Eppe was a psalmist in her own right. By the age of 12, Mann was singing in the church’s adult choir and often selected to sing solos. Although she was bashful, she blossomed in the local church and high school choirs.^[1]

Career[link]

Tamela’s musical career began when she joined up with the multi-grammy award winning and double platinum gospel phenomenon Kirk Franklin and the Family.^[2] Mann has also enjoyed collaborating and performing with numerous artists such as Yolanda Adams, Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Celine Dion, Bono, R.Kelly and Fred Hammond. She went on to join the gospel musical cast of David E. Talbert as he directed the stage play He Say…She Say…But What Does God Say? In 2005, mann & her husband David Mann perform their own label entitled tillymann music which they have released several projects through in 2005,her solo album titled “Gotta Keep Movin” and in 2007 she released “The Live Experience.” Mann’s explosive songs "Father Can You hear Me" and "Take It To Jesus" can be heard in the movie and on the soundtrack album of Diary of a Mad Black Woman.^[3]

Mann began acting in 1999 when she was discovered by Tyler Perry. She debuted in the stage play, I Can Do Bad All By Myself. Mann went on to play in Meet the Browns, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and What's Done in the Dark. Mann has appeared on television shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, BET Soundstage, 1999 Grammy Awards, Dove Awards, the United States of America World Olympics, and Tyler Perry's House of Payne, as well as Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns (Television Show), where she portrays Mr. Brown's (David Mann) daughter. Mann has appeared in movies, including the 2001 comedy, Kingdom Come, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and Meet The Browns.^[4] She also had a role in 2009's Tyler Perry movie Madea Goes to Jail.^[5] Currently filming is David and Tamela Mann's new cooking show "Hanging with the Mann's.

Personal life[link]

Tamela is the wife of actor David Mann, who is known for his role as “Deacon Leroy Brown” in some of Tyler Perry’s plays. They have always worked together professionally. David and Tamela have been married for 21 years, and have four children together: three daughters and one son. In the Madea T.V. shows and movies, she plays as Mr. Brown's daughter, Cora.^[6]

Films[link]

• Sparkle as Sarah/Ms. Waters
• Madea's Big Happy Family (film) (2011) as Cora Simmons
• Madea Goes to Jail (film) (2009) as Cora Simmons
• Meet the Browns (film) (2008) as Cora Simmons
• Diary of a Mad Black Woman (film) (2005) as Cora Simmons
• Kingdom Come (2001) as Lady #2

Television[link]

• Meet the Browns as Cora Simmons (82 Episodes 2008–2010)
• House of Payne as Cora Simmons (3 Episodes 2007)
• Down Home with the Neelys as Tamela Mann (1 Episode 2010)

Plays[link]

• What's Done in the Dark (2006–2007) as Cora Simmons
• Meet the Browns (2004–2005) as Cora Simmons
• Madea's Class Reunion (2003) as Cora Simmons
• Madea's Family Reunion (2002) as Cora Simmons
• Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2001) as Myrtle
• I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2000) as Cora Simmons

Awards/nominations[link]

Stellar Awards^[7]
Nominations: 2006: gospel album of the year (gotta keep movin')

• 2008: Female Vocalist of the Year (The Live Experience)
• 2008: Contemporary Female Artist of The Year (The Live Experience)514

Dove awards nominations Traditional gospel recored song of the year-the master plan Traditional gospel album of the year-the master plan (won)

NAACP image awards Gospel album of the year-the master plan

Discography[link]

1. Gotta Keep Movin' [2005]
2. The Live Experience [2007]
3. The Master Plan [2009]
4. David & Tamela Mann The Master Plan Special edition (2010)' (with husband David Mann)^[8] [2011]
5. TBA 2012

• Soundtracks

1. Diary of a Mad Black Woman
2. Meet The Browns

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Tamela Mann at the Internet Movie Database