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Juan Winans

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Juan Winans BIO

In the winter of 1997 the Winans were asked to compose and perform a theme song for a Detroit NBC affiliate. They approached their sons about recording the song with them. It was during this time that Juan first expressed an interest in pursuing music, stating in a 1999 interview for CCM magazine, "I don't think I ever aspired to sing before we put this group together". He, along with his older brother, Carvin and two cousins, Marvin Winans Jr and Michael Winans Jr., formed the group Winans Phase 2. In the following year they signed a record deal with Myrrh/Epic Records and began working on their debut album, entitled We Got Next, released in August 1999 with tracks from Rodney Jerkins, Narada Michael Walden, and Babyface. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Album's chart, and sold over 250,000 copies in the U.S. It was nominated for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album at the 42nd Grammy Awards. However they lost the award to Yolanda Adams . The group was also featured on several national television shows including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Donnie & Marie, Soul Train, and the Queen Latifah show. In the spring of 2000 the group performed to crowds in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Amsterdam, promoting the release of We Got Next. A 2002 40-city tour by the entire Winans Family marked the unexpected end of the group.

Juan has never publicly spoken about why Winans Phase 2 never recorded again. However, former members Marvin and Michael have cited "internal problems", and "not really wanting to be an artist" as reasons for the group's breakup.

In 2003 Winans returned to the studio to record background vocals for his uncle BeBe Winans Christmas album My Christmas Prayer. The following year he relocated to Nashville to concentrate on songwriting.

Later in 2004, Juan is credited with singing background vocals on Michelle Williams album, Do You Know, and Smokie Norful's Nothing Without You.

In 2005 Winans, along with Babyface, provided backing vocals for the song "I Said I Love You" from the Kirk Whalum release The Songs of Babyface. He is also credited with singing and arranging background vocals on George Huff's, My Christmas EP. During this time Winans began attending Bethel World Outreach Church in Nashville, TN, where he led worship service for the next four years.

In 2008 Winans co-wrote the song Seattle for Gospel/R&B dou Mary Mary for their platinum selling fourth studio release The Sound. The album proved to be their best charting album to date, debuting No. 7 on the Billboard 200, No. 2 on the US R&B chart, and topping the Gospel and Contemporary Christian Music charts. The album held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart for over six months after its release. Winans also collaborated with Hip-Hop legend Heavy D on his critically acclaimed, Grammy nominated album, Vibes, co-writing and singing background vocals for the song No Matter What .

The following year Winans composed the lyrics for and produced the song Need You To Fall for Michael Bolton. The song was released on Bolton's One World One Love album in September 2009 in the United Kingdom, and in the U.S. on May 4, 2010. In October 2010 Winans and his wife, Lisa, collaborated with producer Warryn Campbell to compose material for the highly anticipated Tyler Perry film, For Colored Girls . They wrote the song Sun, performed by Lalah Hathaway. It appears in both the film and on the soundtrack.

Winans once again teamed up with Warryn Campbell and Mary Mary on their fifth studio release, Something Big, co-writing Catch Me and Never Wave My Flag. The latter was performed by the group on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno March 31, 2011.

Winans has been credited with providing music for the movie Jumping the Broom. He also wrote the second single, Closer, for Bishop T.D. Jakes's Sacred Love Songs II album, performed by R&B singer Joe.

In 2011, Juan, along with Warryn Campbell, composed and produced the songs, Marchin' On, and disco era remake, Dr. Love for Jessica Reedy's debut album, From The Heart. He is also listed as a songwriter on the song Best Man, from the Dawkins & Dawkins release, From Now On, and Heavy D's, Put It All on Me, from the album entitled Love Opus, singing background on the latter.

2012 began with another Campbell/Winans collaboration, writing and producing You Should Know for Essence Music Festival winner, Greta Prince.

Juan is also featured as a songwriter on blues rocker Beth Hart's newest release Bang Bang Boom Boom, co-writing the song With You Everyday with Ms. Hart. The album was released on April 2, 2013, to great reviews.

In 2022 Juan co-wrote the Erica Campbell hit song Positive which became a Billboard #1 on the Gospel Airplay chart and yielded another Grammy Award nomination as a songwriter.

Juan Winans News


Broadcast Music Inc. Celebrates Artists at 2022 Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards


On March 31st, BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) celebrated the best and brightest in gospel music at the 2022 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards held at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. BMI’s Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and the top 20 songs of the previous year were all honored at the private event hosted by BMI’s President & CEO, Mike O’Neill and BMI’s Vice President, Creative-Atlanta Catherine Brewton.

Singer/Songwriter Erica Campbell Releases New Single and Music Video


Multi-award winning singer/songwriter Erica Campbell has released her new empowering music video and single for her latest release, 'Positive.' 'POSITIVE' is the lead single from Erica's upcoming third studio album, scheduled to be released on September 23rd. The beautiful and uplifting song was written by Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell and Juan Winans and produced by Warryn Campbell for My Block Inc.

Third-Generation Members of the Winans Family Make Big Moves in Entertainment


Get to know the Winans family and learn about how they're conquering the world of entertainment.

DARE Records To Release Joyous 'Countdown To Christmas' EP


The holiday special will air on December 11, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. CT.

Award-Winning Recording Artist Juan Winans Releases Inspirational Single 'NOW'


Songwriter, producer and singer Juan Winans releases his brand new single titled 'NOW' today, Friday, October 30, 2020.

BORN FOR THIS Receives Five NAACP Theatre Awards for Los Angeles Production


Anticipating a Broadway bow this season, Born For This: A New Musical took home five awards at the 28th annual NAACP Theatre Awards held last night, June 17, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.  

NAACP Reveals Nominations For The 28th Annual Theatre Awards


Once again, the NAACP Beverly Hills/Hollywood Branch's Theatre Viewing Committee has spoken, and the nominations are in for the 28th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards. This year's pedigreed list of nominees collectively represents a rich, extensive dossier of legacies and accolades for both stage and screen. These nominees include members of a legendary 'gospel royal family' as well as a Legend whose part of an elite group of artists in the EGOT winners circle. These, along with all their fellow nominees, will be honored for their excellence on the small and large stages during our annual awards dinner, slated to be held on Monday, June 17, 2019, 6:00 p.m.at the prestigious Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Review: BORN FOR THIS Boldly Reminds Us to Choose Faith and Family Over the Excesses of Fame


Although I never watched their program, I do remember that Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were wildly known almost as much for their outrageous personalities and sartorial style as their devotion to preaching the gospel of Jesus. It is easy to see why the pair became an unlikely surrogate family for the two teenagers from Detroit raised on that same belief, as they rapidly became the hottest stars in televangical America. But for the naive siblings, especially BeBe, it's not an easy lesson learning how to reconcile the temptations of fame and fortune with the things he ultimately values more. It's a wildy funny yet emotional journey toward self-discovery, told with great music and outstanding performances by siblings Juan Winans and Deborah Joy Winans (the children of Carvin Winans, Sr. and Deborah Winans) who portray their aunt CeCe and uncle BeBe with the utmost respect, magical stage presence, and the most amazing vocal pipes!

BWW Interview: BeBe Winans Talks BORN FOR THIS at The Broad Stage


Benjamin, 'BeBe' Winans, six-time Grammy Award winner, is the seventh child and youngest male of the the Detroit based first family of gospel music. BeBe is known as an inspirational, R&B, and popular vocalist, songwriter, and producer as well as an Executive Music Producer for the OWN Network's latest scripted series, 'Greenleaf'; host of his own radio show on the Heart & Soul Channel (68) on Sirius/XM Radio Networks on Sunday Mornings (9am ET/7am PT); renowned as the breakthrough artist to bridge the language of his roots in the church with a chart-topping, Award-winning career spanning audiences universally throughout all genres; author; Actor in motion pictures including friend Denzel Washington's,'The Manchurian Candidate'; and star of productions like Broadway's Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple with Chaka Khan amongst his credits. Teaming with his younger sister, Priscilla 'CeCe', the duo first began crossing lines as 'adopted children' of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker on the PTL television show. Their first tour, on which Whitney Houston proclaimed herself their 'sister' and sang background for the siblings, set the tone for a very special career. 

Announcing BeBe Winans' BORN FOR THIS at The Broad Stage


The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents Born for This July 11 through August 6 (press opening on July 20).  Kicking off The Broad Stage's 2017-18 Theatre Season, this new musical features original music by six time GRAMMY Award-winning artist BeBe Winans, book by Charles Randolph-Wright and BeBe Winans, and is directed by Randolph-Wright (director of the Broadway and West End runaway hit Motown: The Musical).   

Photo Flash: BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY Celebrates Opening Night at Arena Stage


Arena Stage presents BORN FOR THIS: THE BeBe Winans STORY, the heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans' journey to fame. BORN FOR THIS, directed by celebrated director and playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown The Musical), is a co-production with the ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta, Ga., where the production ran April 13-May 15, 2016 prior to the Arena Stage production. The new musical, which officially kicks off Arena Stage's 2016/17 season, features original songs and Winans family hits, with a book by Randolph-Wright and Winans. BORN FOR THIS runs now through August 28, 2016 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

BWW Review: BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY Offers Joyous Music Experience at Arena Stage


Whether you share BeBe's upbringing and/or personal faith or not, it's impossible not to enjoy the music and talented vocalists in this show, which is reason enough to give it a chance.

Full Cast Announced for Bebe Winans Musical BORN FOR THIS at Arena Stage


Arena Stage announces the full cast and creative team for BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY, the heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans' journey to fame.

Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY at Arena Stage


Arena Stage presents BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY, the heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans' journey to fame. BORN FOR THIS, directed by celebrated director and playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown The Musical), officially kicks off Arena Stage's 2016/17 season, featuring original songs and Winans family hits, with a book by Randolph-Wright and Winans. BORN FOR THIS runs July 1-August 28, 2016 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Bebe Winans Musical BORN FOR THIS Opens Tonight at Alliance Theatre


Rehearsals started in Atlanta today for BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY, the hilarious and heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans's journey to fame. BORN FOR THIS, directed by celebrated director and playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown The Musical), will premiere on the Alliance Stage, now through May 15, 2016.

Bebe Winans Musical BORN FOR THIS Begins Tonight at Alliance Theatre


BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY, the hilarious and heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans's journey to fame, directed by celebrated director and playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown The Musical), premieres on the Alliance Stage tonight, April 13, for a run through May 15, 2016.

Full Cast Announced for Bebe Winans Musical BORN FOR THIS at Arena Stage


Arena Stage announces the full cast and creative team for BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY, the heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans' journey to fame.

Full Cast Announced for Bebe Winans Musical BORN FOR THIS at Alliance Theatre


Rehearsals started in Atlanta today for BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY, the hilarious and heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans's journey to fame. BORN FOR THIS, directed by celebrated director and playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown The Musical), will premiere on the Alliance Stage, April 13 - May 15, 2016.

New BeBe Winans Musical 'BORN FOR THIS', Kathleen Turner and More Among Arena Stage's 2016-17 Lineup


Arena Stage just announced an exciting, starry 2016/17 season, which will showcase the theater's mission of American voices and artists.

Arena Stage to Present BORN FOR THIS: THE BEBE WINANS STORY in 2016


Six-time Grammy Award winner BeBe Winans and Broadway's Motown the Musical director Charles Randolph-Wright will debut the world-premiere American musical Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Arena Stage in summer 2016 as part of a co-production with Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Featuring new music by BeBe, the musical chronicles the early days of his career with sister CeCe Winans and their rise to fame through Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's Praise the Lord network television show.

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