CeCe Winans (album) explained

CeCe Winans
Type:	studio
Artist:	Cece Winans
Cover:	Cecewinans.jpg
Released:	June 19, 2001
Studio:	The Lodge and Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee) Sound Stage Studios, Seventeen Grand Recording and Recording Arts Studios (Nashville, Tennessee) Abbey Road Studios (London, UK)
Genre:	Funk Soul
Length:	55:52
Label:	Wellspring Gospel Sparrow
Producer:	CeCe Winans (exec.) Michael Blanton (exec.) Brown Bannister Robbie Buchanan Tommy Sims
Prev Title:	Alabaster Box
Prev Year:	1999
Next Title:	Throne Room
Next Year:	2003

CeCe Winans is the eponymous fifth studio album by American singer CeCe Winans. It was released by WellSpring Gospel and Sparrow Records on June 19, 2001 in the United States. The album adopted a more urban flair to it with a mixture of pop, R&B, and hip hop.

Critical reception

Allmusic editor Ashleigh Kittle wrote that "upbeat, energy-filled, and enthusiastic, the project is not only musically diverse but offers hard-hitting messages. The song "It's Gonna Get Better" was written with teen suicide prevention programs in mind, while "Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay," a duet with brother Marvin Winans, challenges parents to take responsibility for training their children. A definite highlight on the album is the song "Looking Back at You." It is an inspirational track, leaning toward a ballad, that speaks of God's unfailing and unconditional love."

Track listing

Notes

• denotes a co-producer

Personnel

• CeCe Winans – vocals
• Dan Muckala – programming (3, 6)
• Jeremy Bose – keyboards (4), drum programming (4)
• Robbie Buchanan – programming (5), arrangements (5)
• Bernie Herms – programming (7, 9, 11), acoustic piano (9)
• Blair Masters – programming (7), additional keyboards (7), Hammond B3 organ (7), synthesizer overdubs (8, 13), Fender Rhodes (12)
• Adam Anders – programming (8), bass (8)
• Marc Q. Harris – Hammond B3 organ (12)
• Nick Trevisick – programming (13)
• Tommy Sims – acoustic guitars (1, 4), drum programming (1), percussion (1), horn arrangements (1), rhythm arrangements (1, 2, 4), string arrangements (1), vocal arrangements (1, 2, 4), synthesizers (2, 4, 10), guitars (2), bass (2, 4, 10, 12), drums (2, 10), backing vocals (2), sitar (4), additional programming (6), all arrangements (10)
• Andrew Ramsey – acoustic guitars (1, 12)
• Chris Rodriguez – electric guitars (3, 6, 7, 13), backing vocals (3), acoustic guitars (7)
• Jerry McPherson – guitars (8)
• Craig Young – bass (8)
• Mark Hill – bass (9)
• Scott Williamson – drums (9)
• Dan Needham – drums (12)
• Eric Darken – percussion (7, 9, 11-13)
• Darrell Tibbs – percussion (12)
• Barry Green – horns (1)
• Mike Haynes – horns (1, 6, 13)
• Mark Douthit – horns (6, 13)
• Doug Moffett – horns (6, 13)
• Denis Solee – horns (6, 13)
• Tim Akers – horn arrangements (6, 13)
• John Catchings – strings (1)
• Jacob Lawson – strings (1)
• The London Session Orchestra – strings (5, 8, 9, 11, 12)
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster (5, 8, 9, 11, 12)
• Carl Marsh – string arrangements (5, 9, 11, 12)
• Ronn Huff – string arrangements (8)
• Brown Bannister – BGV arrangements (11)
• Leanne Palmore – backing vocals (1-3, 7, 9, 12)
• Jerard Woods – backing vocals (1, 2, 12)
• Jovaun Woods – backing vocals (1, 2, 12)
• GRITS – rap (2)
• Giorgio Ammirabile – backing vocals (3, 7)
• Travis Cottrell – backing vocals (3)
• Da'dra Crawford-Greathouse – backing vocals (3, 7-9)
• Steve Crawford – backing vocals (3, 7, 9)
• Fiona Mellett – backing vocals (3, 9)
• Michael Mellett – backing vocals (3, 4, 7, 8), BGV arrangements (7-9)
• Wendy Moten – backing vocals (3, 7, 9, 13)
• Kayla Parker – backing vocals (3, 6, 11), BGV arrangements (6, 11)
• Joey Ritchie – backing vocals (3, 7, 9)
• Nicol Smith – backing vocals (3, 13)
• Ken "Scat" Springs – backing vocals (3, 7)
• Micah Wilshire – backing vocals (3)
• Debbie Winans-Lowe – backing vocals (3, 8, 12)
• Chip Davis – backing vocals (4), vocal arrangements (4)
• Sue Ann Carwell – backing vocals (5)
• Leanne Albrecht – backing vocals (7)
• Lisa Bevill – backing vocals (7)
• Angela Cruz – backing vocals (7)
• Peter Penrose – backing vocals (7)
• Tiffany Palmer – backing vocals (8, 10)
• Nirva Dorsaint – backing vocals (9)
• Roger Ryan – backing vocals (9)
• Chris Willis – backing vocals (9)
• Chris Eaton – backing vocals (11), BGV arrangements (11)
• Nee-C Walls – backing vocals (13), BGV arrangements (13)

Production

• Michael Blanton – executive producer
• Demetrus Stewart – executive producer
• CeCe Winans – executive producer
• Traci Sterling Bishir – production manager
• Michelle Bentrem – production management assistant
• Christiév Carothers – creative director
• Jan Cook – art direction
• Katherine Stratton – design
• Matthew Jordan Smith – photography
• Blanton & Harrell, Inc. – management

Technical

• Steve Hall – mastering at Future Disc (Hollywood, California)
• Danny Duncan – engineer (1, 2, 4, 10), additional engineer (6, 12)
• Tommy Sims – engineer (1, 2, 4)
• F. Reid Shippen – mixing (1-4, 6, 10, 12)
• Steve Bishir – engineer (3, 5-9, 11-13), mixing (5, 7-9, 11, 13)
• Scott Erikson – engineer (5)
• Dan Shike – mix assistant (1-4, 6, 10, 12)
• Hank Nirider – assistant engineer (3, 5-9, 11-13), mix assistant (5, 7-9, 11, 13)
• Jonathan Allen – string recording (5, 8, 9, 11, 12)
• Andrew Dudman – string recording assistant (5, 8, 9, 11, 12)