Priscilla Winans, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Part of the famous Winans gospel clan, CeCe was the eighth of 10 children. She worked with her brother BeBe in the PTL Singers, before recording with him as the Grammy award-winning duo BeBe And CeCe Winans. The duo became highly influential figures in modern gospel, their blend of soulful vocals and modern swingbeat rhythms also proving popular in the R&B and pop markets. Two albums went gold, and 1991's Different Lifestyles went platinum. Following the release of 1994's Relationships, the duo put their career on hold while CeCe concentrated on recording her solo debut. Released in 1995, Alone In His Presence established CeCe as a solo star. The album won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, achieved gold sales and narrowly failed to enter the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. Her duet with Whitney Houston on "Count On Me", taken from the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack, reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1996, and was also nominated for a Grammy. CeCe's sophomore set, Everlasting Love, featured a stellar production/writing cast, including Tony Rich, Lauryn Hill, Keith Crouch and Darryl Simmons. In contrast to her debut album, the songs were aimed directly at the R&B/soul market, with Hill's "On That Day" surprisingly the most gospel-orientated track. A Christmas record, His Gift, followed. Winans launched her own Wellspring Gospel Records label in October 1999.
