The Winans (1981-2000)

December 29, 2021 
/ Contributed By: Otis Alexander

The Winans Album Cover

The Winans Album Cover

The Winans, an R&B contemporary African American crossover gospel quartet, was created from the musical Winans family of Detroit, Michigan. They were discovered by the legendary Gospel composer Andraรฉ Crouch, who signed them to Light Records in 1981. The quartet comprised brothers Marvin Lawrence Winans (March 5, 1958), Carvin Winans (March 5, 1958), Michael Winans (June 5, 1959), and Ronald Winans (June 30, 1956). They were all born to David Winans Sr. and Delores Winans. The brothers, the second, third, fourth, and fifth sons among ten siblings, were reared on Detroitโ€™s west side in the Parkside Housing Projects.

In 1981, The Winans released their first recording Introducing the Winans, produced by Crouch. The featured singles โ€œThe Question Isโ€ and โ€œRestorationโ€ became successful records but did not sell more than 500,000 copies each. Their second album, Decisions reached no. 109 on the Billboard Gospel Album chart and stayed charted for 11 weeks.

The single โ€œLet My People Go (Part I),โ€ from their third album which shared the name, peaked at no. 42 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1985 displaying for the first time the groupโ€™s crossover appeal. They followed with the single, โ€œAinโ€™t No Need to Worryโ€ from the 1987 Decisions album which reached no. 15 on the R&B chart. Their 1990 album, Return, peaked at no. 90 on the Billboard R&B chart but produced two singles, โ€œItโ€™s Time by The Winansโ€ which peaked at no, 5 on the R&B chart and โ€œA Friendโ€ which peaked at no. 7 on that chart. โ€œWhen You Cryโ€ from the same album, peaked at no. 40, R&B, and in 1991 the quartetโ€™s โ€œDonโ€™t Leave Meโ€ reached no. 34 R&B.

The Winans received the 1991 Soul Train Music Award for โ€œBest Gospel Albumโ€ for Return. They earned five Grammy awards, including winning the last one at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in 1993 for โ€œBest Contemporary Soul Gospel Albumโ€ for All Out (1993) that peaked at no. 41 on the R&B Chart. In 2000, the Winans released the album Christmas: Our Gifts to You which highlighted additional members of the Winans family besides the four original quartet members. Christmas: Our Gifts to You, was the last Winans album to chart.

Ronald Winans, the oldest of the four original members of the quartet, died of cardiac complications on June 17, 2005 in Detroit. He was 49.

In 2014, the three surviving Winans Brothers performed their song โ€œI Really Miss You,โ€ at the Soul Train Awards to honor their brother, Ronald Winans, and other African American entertainers who had died in earlier years.

About the Author

Author Profile

Otis D. Alexander, Library Director at Saint John Vianney College Seminary & Graduate School in Miami, Florida, has also directed academic and public libraries in the District of Columbia, Indiana, Texas, and Virginia. In addition, he has been a library manager in the Virgin Islands of the United States as well as in the Republic of Liberia. His research has appeared in Public Library Quarterly, Scribnerโ€™s Encyclopedia of American Lives, and Virginia Libraries journal. Alexander received the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees from the University of the District of Columbia and the Master of Library & Information Science degree from Ball State University. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from International University and studied additionally at Harvard Graduate School of Education Leadership for Academic Librarians, Oberlin Conservatory of Music Voice Performance Pedagogy, and Atlanta University School of Library & Information Studies.

CITE THIS ENTRY IN APA FORMAT:

Alexander, O. (2021, December 29). The Winans (1981-2000). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/the-winans-1981-2000/

Source of the Author's Information:

Steve Huey, โ€œThe Winans,โ€ Allmusic.com, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-winans-mn0000576839/biography; โ€œNews: 3 Winans Brothers Named โ€œOutstanding New Artistโ€ at 2015 NAACP Image Awards,โ€ Gospelmusic.org, https://gospelmusic.org/news-3-winans-brothers-named-outstanding-new-artist-at-2015-naacp-image-awards/; โ€œThe Winans: RR&B Gospel Pioneers,โ€ crossrhythms.co.uk, https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/The_Winans_The_RB_gospel_pioneers/40677/p1/.

Further Reading