At home with CeCe Winans

Ebony, Nov, 1998 by Lynn Norment

While relaxing on this sunny day, CeCe and Alvin much they enjoy the church's marriage seminars asked, CeCe says the "key" to their loving relationship definitely having the Lord in our fives, having Him as center of our marriage."

Alvin adds: "We communicate well. We talk a lot."

"Alvin's always been an easy person to get along with," says CeCe. "We like to have a good time. Before we got married, I asked, `Do you like to be happy? Because I like to be happy.' Life is too short not to be happy. I like to laugh a lot."

With a chuckle, she looks across the table at Alvin, who adds that many marriages go sour because there's too much outside interference. They both advise couples to get pre-marital counseling and make sure they know their prospective mates before marrying.

CeCe was introduced to Alvin by her brother Ronald at a Detroit bowling alley in 1983 when she was home for a visit from Charlotte, N.C. Though only 18, she was a performer on Jim and Tammy Bakker's PTL Ministries television show. Several months later, Alvin visited Charlotte with CeCe's brothers, and sparks flew. "That weekend, we just had so much fun," she recalls. "He was so nice, so funny. I grew up with seven brothers, so he was like another brother."

Before he returned to Detroit, Alvin told CeCe, "You're going to marry me." But marriage was far from her mind. She was focused on her career, "And I was never one to have a lot of boyfriends," CeCe says. Regardless, love blossomed and that December, in the midst of a Detroit snowstorm, Alvin gave her an engagement ring.

Though her brothers knew and liked Alvin, they were concerned that he would hinder her career. "You feel unworthy," Alvin says of the talented Winans family. He recalls that one of CeCe's brothers asked, "What do you see in him?" after learning that Alvin could not sing, play an instrument or produce. "She was heading to the limelight, and I had no musical ability at all ... But Mom and Pop were cool."

It was important for CeCe to get the blessings of her family and her pastor, who said he was impressed with Alvin's character and spirit. "That gave me peace, and we've had some great years together," she says.

Alvin says be was smitten with CeCe because of her warmth, her laughter and her great personality. -She was just perfect for me,- he says, glancing adoringly at his wife. When CeCe launched her solo career, Alvin left his sales position with Xerox to be her business manager. However, she says their professional relationship just to be too much" for them. "I wanted my husband back," she adds. Alvin is now her personal manager.

CeCe is set to release a Christmas album, The Gift, and next spring her autobiographical-inspirational book will be published. She will tour through next summer, and she continues to host CeCe's Place, a "faith and values- music show that airs on the Odyssey network. She is also a songwriter and co-penned seven songs on her current CD. Having appeared on a number of sitcoms and on Broadway, she's also interested in acting roles. "As an artist, I want to grow, I want to try different things," she says. "So if a good script comes along and I feel good about it, I'll go for it."