Juan Winans facts for kids
Juan Winans is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He comes from the famous Winans family, who are well-known for their amazing gospel music. Juan is a third-generation musician in this talented family.
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Family and Early Life
Juan Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 24. He is one of four children born to Carvin Winans and Deborah Kerr Winans. His grandparents, David and Delores Winans, were also singers. They met in 1951 while singing in a gospel choir. They married two years later and had ten children.
David and Delores, known as Mom & Pop Winans, raised their children in a religious home. They taught them how to sing. The family practiced their music in their great-grandfather's church. In 1980, four of Juan's uncles—Marvin, Carvin, Michael, and Ronald—were discovered by Andrae Crouch. They signed with Light Records and became known as The Winans.
On January 1, 1981, Juan's father, Carvin Winans, and his three brothers released their first album, Introducing The Winans. This started their career, which earned them five Grammy Awards. They became known as the "First Family of Gospel music." Later, in 1987, Juan's uncle and aunt, BeBe Winans and CeCe Winans, released their first album. They became famous around the world as BeBe & CeCe Winans.
Music Career
Winans Phase 2 Group
In 1997, the Winans family was asked to create a theme song for a TV station in Detroit. They asked their sons to help record the song. This was when Juan first showed interest in music. He said in an interview that he never thought about singing until they formed this group.
Juan, along with his older brother Carvin and two cousins, Marvin Winans Jr and Michael Winans Jr., formed a group called Winans Phase 2. The next year, they signed a record deal with Myrrh/Epic Records. They started working on their first album, We Got Next. It was released in August 1999.
The album quickly reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Album's chart. It sold over 250,000 copies in the U.S. The album was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. The group appeared on many TV shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Soul Train. In 2000, the group toured in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Amsterdam. A family tour in 2002 marked the end of the group. Juan has not publicly said why the group stopped recording.
Working as a Songwriter and Vocalist
In 2003, Juan went back to the studio to record background vocals for his uncle BeBe Winans' Christmas album. The next year, he moved to Nashville to focus on writing songs.
Later in 2004, Juan sang background vocals for Michelle Williams' album, Do You Know. He also sang on Smokie Norful's album, Nothing Without You. In 2005, Juan provided backing vocals for a song by Kirk Whalum. He also sang and arranged background vocals for George Huff's Christmas album. During this time, Juan led worship services at a church in Nashville for four years.
Recent Work and Grammy Nominations
In 2008, Juan Winans helped write the song Seattle for the gospel group Mary Mary. This song was on their album The Sound, which sold very well. The album reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart and was No. 1 on the Gospel Albums chart for over six months. Juan also worked with Hip-Hop artist Heavy D. He helped write and sang background vocals for the song No Matter What on Heavy D's Grammy-nominated album, Vibes.
The next year, Juan wrote the lyrics and produced the song Need You To Fall for Michael Bolton. This song was released on Bolton's One World One Love album. In 2010, Juan worked with producer Warryn Campbell and Lisa Kimmey. They wrote the song Sun, performed by Lalah Hathaway, for the movie For Colored Girls. This song appeared in the film and on its soundtrack.
Winans worked with Warryn Campbell and Mary Mary again on their album, Something Big. He helped write Catch Me and Never Wave My Flag. The latter song was performed by Mary Mary on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Juan also provided music for the movie Jumping the Broom. He wrote the song Closer for Bishop T.D. Jakes's album, performed by R&B singer Joe.
In 2011, Juan and Warryn Campbell wrote and produced songs for Jessica Reedy's first album. He also wrote songs for Dawkins & Dawkins and Heavy D. In 2012, Juan worked with Warryn Campbell again to write and produce You Should Know for Greta Prince. Juan is also a songwriter on blues rocker Beth Hart's album Bang Bang Boom Boom. He co-wrote the song With You Everyday with Ms. Hart.
In 2022 and 2023, Juan co-wrote the hit songs Positive and Feel Alright for Erica Campbell. Both songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart. These songs earned Juan two Grammy Award nominations as a songwriter.
Personal Life
In September 2007, Juan Winans married Lisa Kimmey. She was a singer from the group Out Of Eden. They have a child named Sophia, who was born in 2010. The couple separated in 2023 and later divorced.
Discography
- Erica Campbell (2023) Feel Alright (Blessed) (Composer)
- Erica Campbell (2022) Positive (Composer)
- Juan Winans (2022) Tell That feat. Mr. Talkbox (Artist/Composer)
- Juan Winans (2021) Never On My Own feat. Deborah Joy Winans (Artist/Composer)
- Juan Winans (2020) It Belongs To Me with Lisa Winans feat. Marvin Winans
- Juan & Lisa Winans (2019) A Little Soul For Christmas (Artist/Composer)
- Smokie Norful (2014) Love (Composer)
- Beth Hart (2012) With You Everyday (Composer)
- Q Parker (2012) The Manual (Composer)
- Tristan Wilds (2012) Remember, Remember EP, Cold/Composer, producer
- Heavy D (2011) Love Opus (Composer/Vocalist)
- Dawkins & Dawkins (2011) From Now On (Composer)
- Jessica Reedy (2011) From The Heart (Composer/Producer)
- T.D. Jakes (2011)Sacred Love Songs Vol. 2 Closer (Composer)
- Mary Mary (2011) Something Big (Composer)
- For Colored Girls: Music From and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2010) Sun (Composer)
- Michael Bolton (2009) One World One Love (Composer/Producer)
- Mary Mary (2008) The Sound/Composer
- Heavy D (2008) Vibes/Composer, Vocalist
- Marvin Winans (2007) Alone But Not Alone (Vocalist/Arranger)
- BeBe Winans (2007) Cherch (Vocalist)
- Matt Redman (2006) Beautiful News (Vocalist)
- Out of Eden (2006) Out of Eden: The Hits (Engineer/Vocal Producer)
- V Three (2006) V3 (Composer/Arranger)
- Kirk Whalum (2005) Songs of Babyface (Vocalist)
- BarlowGirl (2004) (BarlowGirl) (Vocalist)
- Michelle Williams (2004) Vocalist
- George Huff (2004) My Christmas EP (Vocalist/Arranger)
- Smokie Norful (2004) Nothing Without You (Vocalist)
- BeBe Winans (2003) My Christmas Prayer
- BeBe Winans (2002) Live & Up Close (Vocalist)
- Winans Phase 2 (1999) We Got Next (Artist/Composer)
