What Is CeCe Winans’ Net Worth?
CeCe Winans, a highly acclaimed American gospel singer, author, and multiple Grammy Award winner, has accumulated a net worth of $8 million. Her financial success is primarily attributed to her illustrious music career, book publications, and entrepreneurial ventures in the gospel music industry.
CeCe Winans: A Career Marked by Platinum and Gold Records
Winans has achieved remarkable success in the gospel music scene, solidifying her position as the top-selling gospel artist of all time. Her discography includes more than a dozen solo studio albums, with several achieving Platinum or Gold certification. For instance, “Alone in His Presence,” released in 1995, attained Platinum status, signifying sales of over one million copies. Her Gold-certified albums, including “Everlasting Love” (1998), “Alabaster Box” (1999), “CeCe Winans” (2001), and “Throne Room” (2003), each represent sales exceeding 500,000 copies. These certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) demonstrate the commercial success and widespread popularity of her music.
CeCe Winans’ chart-topping success extends to her collaborative work with her brother, BeBe Winans. Together, they released several successful albums, including “Lord Lift Us Up” (1984), which reached #20 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. “BeBe & CeCe Winans” (1987) further solidified their presence, reaching #12 on the Top Gospel Albums chart and #49 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Their 1988 album, “Heaven,” marked a significant milestone, reaching #1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart and #10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 1991, “Different Lifestyles” topped both charts, showcasing their widespread appeal across genres. Even their holiday album, “First Christmas,” released in 1993, and “Relationships” (1994), reached #4 on the Top Gospel Albums chart. In 2009, “Still” also reached #1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Their collective success is marked by several singles which achieved #1 status on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart, including “Lost Without You,” “Addictive Love,” and “I’ll Take You There,” (featuring Mavis Staples). “Addictive Love,” and “I’ll Take You There,” also topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Beyond album sales, CeCe Winans’s income is significantly boosted by her successful singles. She is known for hits such as “Count on Me,” her duet with Whitney Houston, which peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She is also famed for singles such as “Pray,” “Never Have to Be Alone,” “Never Lost,” and “Believe for It.” These singles and her other hits have generated substantial revenue through radio play, digital downloads, and streaming platforms. Although specific royalty rates and earnings from these sources are not publicly disclosed, they contribute significantly to her overall net worth. The exact figures from streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora are confidential, but her status as a top-selling gospel artist suggests considerable income from these platforms.
Her first solo album, 1995’s “Alone in His Presence,” reached #2 on the “Billboard” Top Gospel Albums and Top Christian Albums charts and was certified Platinum. In 1996, she recorded “Count on Me” with Whitney Houston for the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack, and the single reached #8 on the “Billboard” Hot 100 chart and #1 on the “Billboard” Adult R&B Songs chart. CeCe’s 1998 album “Everlasting Love” went Gold and reached #1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart and #2 on the Top Christian Albums chart. In that year she also released the holiday album “His Gift,” and it peaked at #3 on the Top Gospel Albums chart. Winans’ next three albums, “Alabaster Box” (1999), “CeCe Winans” (2001), and “Throne Room” (2003), were certified Gold and reached the top five on the Top Gospel Albums and Top Christian Albums charts. The single “More than What I Wanted” from “CeCe Winans” reached #9 on the Adult R&B Songs chart. The 2005 album “Purified” reached #1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart and #3 on the Top Christian Albums chart, and the single “Pray” topped the Hot Gospel Songs chart. In 2008, CeCe released the album “Thy Kingdom Come,” and it reached #1 on the Top Gospel Albums, Top Christian Albums, and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Next, she released 2010’s “Songs of Emotional Healing,” which reached #3 on the Top Gospel Albums chart. Her 2017 album “Let Them Fall in Love” reached #1 on that chart and #10 on the UK Christian & Gospel Albums Chart. The single “Never Have to Be Alone” reached #4 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. In 2018, Winans released “Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album,” and she followed it with the live worship album “Believe for It” in 2021. The title track from “Believe for It” topped the Hot Gospel Songs chart, and the single “Never Lost” reached #2 on that chart.
Literary Works and PureSprings Gospel Label
Beyond her musical achievements, CeCe Winans is also an accomplished author. She has published three books: “On A Positive Note” (2000), “Throne Room: Ushered Into the Presence of God” (2004), and “Always Sisters: Becoming the Princess You Were Created to Be” (2007). While specific sales figures for these books are not publicly available, they add to her income through royalties and potentially speaking engagements related to the books’ themes. These books have also reinforced her brand as a source of inspiration and faith, which indirectly supports her music career.
In 1999, Winans launched PureSprings Gospel, a record label that has provided a platform for emerging gospel artists. While the financial details of PureSprings Gospel are not publicly available, owning a record label provides multiple revenue streams, including artist royalties, music publishing rights, and licensing fees. The success of artists signed to PureSprings Gospel contributes to the overall profitability of the label and, by extension, to CeCe Winans’s net worth. The label’s role in discovering and promoting new talent also enhances Winans’s reputation and influence within the gospel music industry. The establishment of this label highlights her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to fostering new talent within the gospel music community.
CeCe Winans’ Nashville Mansion
In 1995, CeCe Winans made a significant real estate investment by purchasing a 1.3-acre plot of land in Nashville, Tennessee, for $120,000. She then commissioned the construction of a custom-built mansion spanning 8,000 square feet. This property reflects a substantial asset within her overall financial portfolio. In September 2010, she listed the mansion for sale with an asking price of $1.2 million, but she ultimately decided not to sell. As of today, the property is estimated to be worth around $2 million, showcasing a considerable appreciation in value over the years. The increase in the property’s value is due to the rising real estate prices in the Nashville area.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Priscilla Marie Winans, known to the world as CeCe Winans, was born on October 8, 1964, in Detroit, Michigan. She is the daughter of David and Delores Winans, devout members of the Church Of God In Christ, who instilled in her a deep appreciation for gospel music. Growing up in a household filled with music, Winans began singing at a young age, performing her first solo at the age of eight. In 1981, CeCe’s journey took her to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she joined Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s show, “The PTL Club,” as a singer. While initially part of the Winans family singing group, she soon began performing as a duo with her brother BeBe. Their early collaboration led to the release of the album “Lord Lift Us Up” in 1984, which reached #20 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart.
Winans’s association with “The PTL Club” lasted until 1984. Although she left the show that year, the experience was invaluable in shaping her future career. It provided her with national exposure and helped her hone her performance skills. This early exposure contributed to her growing recognition and helped set the stage for her subsequent success as a solo artist and as part of the BeBe & CeCe Winans duo. The PTL club was located in Charlotte, North Carolina at 300 PTL Drive.
Awards and Recognition
CeCe Winans has received 15 Grammy Awards, recognizing her exceptional talent and contribution to the gospel music industry. In addition to her Grammy Awards, she has won 16 Stellar Awards and 28 Dove Awards, which are significant accolades within the gospel music community. She has also been recognized by other prestigious award ceremonies, including the BET Awards, “Soul Train” Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and Detroit Music Awards. These awards highlight her widespread recognition across various genres and audiences.
Winans’s impact on the music industry has been further acknowledged through lifetime achievement awards and other special honors. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2007 Trumpet Awards and was honored as a Trailblazer of Gospel Music at the 2008 BMI Awards. In 2011, she was recognized for her Contribution to Gospel Music at the “Essence” Awards. She was also recognized with the Belmont University School of Music’s Applause Award in 2012 and the My Music Matters: A Celebration of Legends Rhapsody & Rhythm Award in 2015. In 2009, Winans was inducted into the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame, and in 2015, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. In 2011, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, solidifying her status as a music icon. These recognitions underscore her lasting legacy and her significant impact on the gospel music landscape.
Personal Life and Philanthropic Endeavors
On June 23, 1984, CeCe Winans married Alvin Love II, and together they have two children: daughter Ashley Rose Love and son Alvin Love III. While details of Alvin Love II’s professional background and income are not publicly known, their long-standing marriage suggests a stable and supportive family environment. Specifics about Ashley and Alvin III’s careers and financial status are also not publicly available, but the Winans family maintains a close-knit relationship.
CeCe Winans was Whitney Houston’s best friend. She was also the godmother to Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Following Whitney Houston’s passing in 2012, and Bobbi Kristina’s passing in 2015, CeCe performed “Jesus Loves Me” and “Don’t Cry for Me” at Houston’s funeral, which took place at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church.