CeCe Peniston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids CeCe Peniston
Peniston in March 2012
Born	Cecilia Veronica Peniston (1969-09-06) September 6, 1969 (age 55) Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	Phoenix College
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Malik Byrd ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 1993)​ Frank Martin ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2011)​
Partner(s)	Marcus Matthews (2015–16)
Musical career
Genres	House dance R&B pop soul new jack swing
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	A&M Warner Bros. Universal
Signature

Cecilia Veronica "CeCe" Peniston (born September 6, 1969) is an American singer who became famous for her powerful voice and dance music. In the early 1990s, she had five songs reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Her most famous song, "Finally", was a huge hit, reaching number 5 in the U.S. and number 2 in the United Kingdom.

Peniston has performed for many famous people and at important events. She sang at a birthday party for Aretha Franklin and for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome. She also performed for U.S. President Bill Clinton at both of his inauguration ceremonies. She was the first international female singer to perform in South Africa after apartheid ended.

In December 2016, Billboard magazine named her one of the 100 Top Dance Club Artists of All Time.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Growing Up in Arizona

CeCe Peniston was born in Dayton, Ohio, but she grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, from the age of nine. She is the third of four children. Her father, Ronald, was in the military, and her mother is Barbara Anne. CeCe started singing in church and acting in school plays and musicals. She also took piano lessons and competed in local singing contests.

She went to Trevor G. Browne High School and later studied at Phoenix College. In college, she participated in sports and beauty pageants, and she was crowned Miss Black Arizona in 1989. Peniston also started writing song lyrics. She wrote the words for her hit song "Finally" during a chemistry class while thinking about dating.

A Big Break

Her music career started in 1991. A friend and music producer, Felipe "DJ Wax Dawg" Delgado, asked her to sing backup vocals for a rapper named Overweight Pooch. Peniston's voice was so impressive that she caught the attention of Manny Lehman, an executive at A&M Records.

Lehman offered Peniston a chance to record her own song. She worked with producers to create the track that would become her biggest hit, "Finally." The record label was so impressed that they signed her to record a full album.

Rise to Fame with 'Finally'

Peniston with Felipe Delgado at Chaton Studios in Phoenix, Arizona, putting final touches to her debut album

When Peniston was 21, her first single, "Finally", was released in 1991. The song quickly became a dance anthem in U.S. clubs, hitting number one on the dance charts. It was also a huge success around the world.

After the song's success, Peniston had only two months to record her first album. The album, also called Finally, was released in January 1992. It sold very well in both the U.S. and the U.K.

Her second single, "We Got a Love Thang", also became a number one dance hit in the U.S. and a top 10 hit in the U.K. With two hit songs, Peniston began touring across the U.S. and in countries like Japan, Germany, and Spain.

Her third single, "Keep On Walkin'", also reached number one on the U.S. dance chart. By the end of 1992, Peniston had won several awards, including a Billboard Music Award for Best New Dance Artist.

Continued Success

A year later, Peniston returned to the studio to record her second album, Thought 'Ya Knew. She wanted to show her range as an artist by including more ballads, which are slower songs. She also co-wrote three of the songs on the album.

The first single, "I'm in the Mood", became her fourth number one hit on the U.S. dance chart. The album was released in January 1994. While it was popular, it didn't sell as many copies as her first album.

Other singles from the album, like "I'm Not Over You" and "Hit by Love", also did very well on the dance charts. "Hit by Love" became her fifth number one dance hit. At the end of 1994, Billboard magazine named her the number one Hot Dance Music/Club Play Artist of the year.

The Sisters of Glory

During this time, Peniston also joined a gospel group called The Sisters of Glory. The group included other famous singers like Thelma Houston and Phoebe Snow. They recorded an album called Good News in Hard Times, which was released in 1995. The album was a success on the gospel music charts.

Trying New Sounds

In 1996, Peniston released her third album, I'm Movin' On. For this album, she explored more R&B and soul music. The title track, "Movin' On", was produced by Dave "Jam" Hall, who had worked with stars like Mariah Carey and Madonna.

The album showed a more mature side of Peniston's music. However, it did not achieve the same level of chart success as her earlier work. After this album, Peniston and her record label, A&M Records, parted ways.

In 1998, a greatest hits album called The Best Of was released in Europe and Japan. It included a new remix of "Somebody Else's Guy," which became a top 20 hit in the U.K.

Later Career and Collaborations

Throughout the 2000s and beyond, CeCe Peniston continued to record and release music, often working with other artists and producers. She focused on releasing singles rather than full albums.

Some of her notable songs from this time include:

• "Lifetime to Love" (2001): A dance track that reached number 2 on the U.S. dance chart.
• "Deeper Love" (2005): A duet with trumpet player David Longoria that became a top 20 dance hit.
• "I'm Feelin' U" (2007): A collaboration with house DJ Ron Carroll that was popular in European clubs.
• "Shame Shame Shame" (2007): A song with the production team Soulshaker that topped several U.K. club charts.

In 2011, she signed with a new record label and released the single "Stoopid!". She also released new versions of her classic hits "Keep On Walkin'" and "Finally".

Charity Work

CeCe Peniston is also known for her work with charities. In 1997, she started the CeCe Peniston Youth Foundation to help organizations that support children, women, and people with HIV/AIDS. The foundation was later renamed LOTS (Lifting Others To Succeed).

In 2008, she became a National Ambassador for the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). In this role, she traveled across the country to promote the importance of arts education for children. She even recorded a song called "Above Horizons" as the official PTA anthem.

Personal Life

CeCe Peniston was married to Malik Byrd in 1992, but they separated the following year. From 2003 to 2011, she was married to Frank Martin. Her mother, Barbara, was her manager for a time, and now her brother, Gregory, manages her career.

Discography

Filmography

Peniston has acted in several stage plays, including The Wiz. She has also appeared in a few independent films.

See also

In Spanish: CeCe Peniston para niños

• List of awards and nominations received by CeCe Peniston
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart