255 Pounds at 33. Eight Miles a Day at 64.

BeBe Winans1:33

What's amazing is that people see us all the time, right? And I I I you know, sometimes going to lunch, people would come up and say, "You're that guy?"

BeBe Winans2:21

I grew up, my whole family, we're from Detroit, Michigan. Yeah. Right.

Um, and you know, being in the music world, I mean, there's there's not a better place to grow up other than Motown, you know, city of Motown. And so, you know, when we were younger and snow would fall, we would dash a block over to uh Santa Barbara to get there before any other kid to shovel the snow of Smokey Robinson. Yeah. He lived in front on on the next block cuz he would give you like $25 or something, not $2. And then behind us there was Stevie Wonder's house.

Yeah. So we grew up around these people and and then who would have known, you know, that we would later on walk and be on the same stages and become great friends of these icons, you know, Artha Franklin and and write for them and produce them on various other things. So but Detroit, Michigan is where it all started.

BeBe Winans3:33

All of us, you know, my mom and dad when they met, they met in a music group.

BeBe Winans3:39

Um, so my mom could sing, my dad could sing, my grandparents sung, so it was just in our blood. And so in church, in school,

And all we did was was sing. I mean, we did other things, but singing was um a part of our our everyday life. if you know my father saw the talent so he bought a piano and we would write songs and we would harmonize and it was just something that we didn't know would be our career

But we knew we the passion for it was quite unbelievable for from the start

BeBe Winans4:27

No Not, you know, we played at home and with with friends around where we live, but none of us No,

Not formally.

No, we didn't have that talent

BeBe Winans4:40

Even though we act like we did.

BeBe Winans4:47

10 of us.

Oh my seven boys straight. I was the baby boy and then three girls came after me.

BeBe Winans4:57

All of us sang. Yeah.

All of us sang. There was my oldest brother didn't have as much of a singing voice than others. And so my four older brothers, they started a group and they were called the Winans, which is our last name. And years would go by and they would picked was picked up by a famous uh gospel singer at that point in time named Andrae Crouch. And then as time went on, Quincy Jones signed them to his Warner Brothers label. And so they was they were the ones that first broke out.

Y and then me and my sister um followed their their their their you know path and various other things happened for us in a different way and we ended up on Capitol Records and then I have a brother who's a solo artist named Daniel. Then my two sisters Angie and Debbie, they became a duet and Whitney Houston put them on her label. So all of us were passionate about singing. And it just so happened that all of us um singing would be our careers.

BeBe Winans6:07

My brother Marvin was my hero because of his

Um writing abilities. He wrote some great songs and I wanted to be a writer like him. Mhm.

And so I remember being in being in the fourth grade. My teacher's name was Miss Buyers and we we were in class one time and she said, "Students, I'm I'mma read you something." And she started speaking. And she said, "Why does the wind so want to be here my little room with me when he's all the world to blow about and just because I keep him out? He cannot wait a moment still. But he frets upon my window seal. Sometimes he brings a noisy rain to help him better at the pain.

Upon my door he comes and knocks and he rattles and rattles at the locks. He lifts the latch and stirs the key then waits a moment briefly. Tell me why does the wind so want to be here my little room with me. And I'm sitting there saying, "Oh my god, I want to write songs in this way that cause people to pay attention." And so that poem that Miss Meyers read entitled The Wind affected my life totally in elementary school. And so my catalog of 3,000 songs or more now is became my life, my passion, and it is still now today my passion.

Um, so my writing hero was my oldest brother. my older brother, not my oldest. And so I really delved in to become a writer. And so as years go by and and CeCe was my guinea pig, like you sing this song, this ugly, whatever you sing this song. And so I remember the first time when me and her,

We were nominated for a song called I Owe You Me.

And it was nominated for a song of the year for the Dev Awards. and she looked at me and said, "How did this happen?"

BeBe Winans8:25

Yes. But yet and still, it can be threatening to people when you do the demo. So, I had a friend of mine who was in the business said, "All your songs that you want other people to sing,

BeBe Winans8:38

Yeah. because the way you sing it, they become threatening. So get someone else that doesn't sing as well to do the do the the demo. And I was like, this is crazy, but it was so true, you know. So I've had the pleasure of of working with and producing people like Whitney Houston, Glattis Knight, Stevie Wonder. Who would have thought? But it just shows you that you don't know what life holds for you. But to do any and everything you do, no matter how many in the audience, to the best of your ability with everything you have, and doors open and you're ready for that big stage when it opens.

BeBe Winans11:41

I want to know what church you come from singing the way you sing." And she just lifted her head up. She said, "Uh uh uh Baptist." And and and we just hugged. And that moment that moment we became family. Yeah. You know, and she was a fan of ours. We were a fan of hers. And it was just a moment you never forget, you know. Um, and years would pass and I would work with her and different things and the Bodyguard soundtrack

Was coming up. She was going to do the Bodyguard.

She was so nervous and she flew us down. She was like, "You got to be here." She was a dear sister. But you know it those moments are great, but other moments to to this day are when people walk up to me and say, "Because of your music, I have another chance at life. I was in a room about to shoot my head off and your music came on and it changed my it changed my life. I gave life another try. people who have lost loved ones, people who have been in prison saying, "Your music kept me." And so it is a a a reminder of the sacrifices that go along with success.

Um they're worth it when you know you've touched people in a way that has changed their trajectory.

BeBe Winans13:39

So great. It's it's you know I love the the the thing that I always when I'm speaking to other artists what's important to me people have always been important no matter who you are because sometimes you're greeting people that you don't know down the road will become such and such and such and such right um but people I have a love for people and sometimes that love can you know create something that you don't desire which is maybe a stalker. That's true. But but to touch people's lives in a positive way is what all of us I've I've learned.

A smile, a hello. And people don't know what I do. It changes their life, you know. And so we all I I think and I believe are commissioned to help one another in any way, form, or fashion we can.

BeBe Winans14:48

Was so funny when I got your number and everything and and my one of my nephews who lived here

Called and said, "What's going on?" I said, "Uh, nothing. I just finished running, but I met a great guy. I've been knowing him without knowing his name." And he said, "What's his name?" And I told him his name, your name. And he just went through the roof. He said, "You did not make it." I said, "I didn't know it. I just know he runs a lot and we

BeBe Winans15:27

But that's the funny I I remember that day and that's when we traded names. But it's just you look I know where I came from when it comes to being healthy and being overweight and all.

And I learned that it can't be an excuse not to take care of myself. That's it. And so whether it's rain, whether it's ice, no matter what, I get out there and that determination, that perseverance, I don't know about you, but I'll tell you, Kenneth, for me, it has showed up, that discipline has showed up in every other area of my life.

BeBe Winans16:31

What's this, Dave?"

BeBe Winans16:39

People admire. and need.

Yes. In in no matter what work in in line of work that they do. And so it affected every area of mine. And it gave me great courage every time I went to the doctor's office.

BeBe Winans17:17

At 17 and my sister was 15. We both graduated at the same time and we had an audition for a television network in in Charlotte, North Carolina. So, long story short, my father said yes. We went there and auditioned. CeCe got the job. I didn't. And my father was like, "Well, she's not going down there by herself." No, no, no, my daughter. And I put aside the way I felt, you know, in being rejected and loo went to my father and said, "Dad, this is a great opportunity for CC.

I'll go down there and I'll get a job at the grocery store." And he allowed it. It was like we were shocked. Yeah. Really? I mean cuz my father wouldn't let us go across the street to spend the night

Like my kids.

BeBe Winans18:04

CC go down with me as her. So we did and that's where we really really got started was uh ptl television network with Jim Baker and Tammy Fay Baker. Oh wow.

They became like the parents me and TC's parents away from home. Really to this day I have a great relationship with him, you know. Um, but long story short, we he came into the rehearsal. It was like seven singers or so, and we would sing, you know, on the television network. He came in one day, he said, "I just saw a movie, um, Officer and the Gentleman." And [clears throat] there's a song they do, and I want you guys to bring that song and do it here.

And he looked over at me and CeCe, he said, "I want you guys to do it as a duet." That's how me and my sister became a duet.

BeBe Winans19:03

Yes.

BeBe Winans19:04

And and then that song took off for us in the contemporary gospel music platform. Love lift us up where we belong. Love where we belong.

To this day, we still sing that song.

BeBe Winans19:20

It's a beautiful song. Beautiful song. And but but we became a duet. People started calling in wanting in BBCC to go sing and D. We were looking at each other was like we don't know no duets other than this and that's how we became a duet

BeBe Winans19:39

From that situation and from that moment on things just continued to go this way and before we knew it we were signed to a a major company. We left uh Charlotte and things just continued. Now, when we signed with Capitol Records, um it really started just shooting and going through.

BeBe Winans20:08

Well, first of all, we did the contracts are different. Um, so but we did the first album with a record company called Sparrow Records and they were based out of California at the time and they were being distributed

By uh Universal Capitol Records

And after the first album, the next thing we know, me and my sister, they were calling to say Capital wants to bring you guys on their label. not just distribute because of the success of of the first album. And so when we went in, it was, you know, negotiating. You didn't have too much negotiation power because you're still proving yourself. But when we did the first album and it went gold and went platinum, it was like,

BeBe Winans21:03

Time to sit back again. Let's have a meeting again. And so you learn and you you know

BeBe Winans21:14

Oh my god no after the first deal you go get an attorney and everything you learn the business wish we had learned a lot more before all that happened but it just happened in the whirlwind right um but yet and still one of the things I knew was on every album I made sure CeCe and I individually had a song a a solo knowing that there's a future in solo in allow records to own our single solo rights

So we could start a fresh on that and it's just learning the business it was so much look I'm still learning

Even at this age but I learned quickly and made sure that we understood the contract before we signed Um, and a lot of twists and turns when it come to management or agents. Before you know it, you got so many people in your pocket. It's like, what?

BeBe Winans22:17

How much me and CeCe kid? $2.

BeBe Winans22:24

Um, so it's a lot of twists and turns. At the same time, what what was important was our faith, knowing that God is opening these doors and we can trust that he's going to bring us to the place he wants to bring us. And then, you know, during all those things, there's sacrifices, there's marriages, there's children, there's a lot of other things that's pulling at you and you got to prioritize what's important, what's not important. [sighs and gasps] It's a lot. And so I remember me and my sister were in California getting ready to do a album called Relationships.

That morning I got up and I went and uh I was getting dressed and I come [clears throat] out the shower and there's a big uh mirror in front of me and the word says the words that come out of my mouth is who are these people coming out the shower? I saw how much weight I had gained. I saw, you know, me being so unhealthy because before you know it, I mean, life changes. You're on the road and you're doing this and that and you can lose yourself.

And I got dressed. I never forget. I I went down to concierge and I said, "Where is the nearest gym?" And she told me it was Gold's uh right down on Santa Monica and Cole. I went to the store. I arrived there. I looked around. We were going to be there at least for a month.

And so I I did a deal for a month of of working out out there. And the next morning I came in, I saw these trainers training people. And I was like, "Okay." And I looked and I saw someone sitting down that was you was training someone at first. And I went up to him and I said, "Are you a trainer?" He said, "Yes." His name was Chris. Now we'll forget Christian. And his his next client had had canc. He he said, "Okay, I'll train you for an hour." He put me on the treadmill.

He said, "We're going to walk for like 2 minutes." I almost lost my life. I was like huffing and puffing. I didn't know how much I was out of shape. I was 33. The next day, we had some conversation. He said, "Okay, this is your goal. You just told me your goal is this, this, and that." He said, "I tell you this. We can reach that goal, but it took you 33 years to get to where you are.

BeBe Winans24:50

Give yourself more than three days to where you want to go.

BeBe Winans24:56

I was 255. My goal was 180. He said, "Give you more. Give yourself more than three days." And I reached that goal. He taught me how to lift, what not to do, and this and that. And I'm telling you, people, and I'll I'll shut up after this. people is just a reality. They really don't want you to succeed. No,

BeBe Winans25:50

That's right. So I got rid of all excuses and to this day at 64, I just turned 64. I have never stopped.

BeBe Winans26:05

I see him every time I go to California. and he was so proud of of of how, you know, what he told me I could do, I did. And he's proud of what I accomplished.

BeBe Winans26:23

Oh, conflicts. We were real. We're not Donnie and Marie. We're not We're not

BeBe Winans26:34

That was all my family. Um but there was a a respect always. My father used to say and when we were younger and it just he drilled it in our minds and in our hearts. He said when one Winans wins all Winans wins. If one Winans lose all Winans lose. You have each other. And so we always remember that. And so even through the conflicts, even though the ups and downs, we knew we have each other.

BeBe Winans27:07

We got to look out for each other. And that's what we've done. And so, you know, the foundation of my what my mom and dad gave us was a lasting foundation. And and and and it was a you know, real household. So, we knew if I can endure living underneath my brothers and I can endure anything that the world's going to throw at me. And we still have each other.

BeBe Winans27:38

Look, we just came from um the other the other week uh from uh celebrating my mom's 90th.

BeBe Winans27:47

It was so incredible. I have nephews now who live out the country. one from from Australia flew flew in. But my mom has about 40 grandchildren and about 22 great grand,

You know, and so we get together and we have a ball. We were too broke to buy toys, so we became each other's toys. Yeah.

You know, and created games and everything. And so that bond is strong within my family and the generations. when you your parents must have been so proud when everyone had these careers and you guys are on the radio and I mean especially coming from Motown.

We used to tell my father, "Dad, you can't holler and cheer in front of the audience."

It was why not? I'm proud that because that's the reason you're our dad.

BeBe Winans28:38

Please don't holler so loud. But they were so proud. And he was the one that just couldn't keep it in. I mean, he'll be at the front of the stage saying, "My my name is Benjamin. My nickname is BB and my father used to call me Benny. So he would be at the front of the stage just how come on Benny, come on Benny. Yeah, Benny. It was like dad, dad, somebody get him. Um, but proud proud proud parents that and they sacrificed a lot for us to be there, you know.

And so one of the proudest days for me was to be able to say, "Mom, you no longer work." No, that's nice.

BeBe Winans29:20

You know, and put them in in a new home and and make sure and I I had some incredible parents because they never asked for a dime.

BeBe Winans29:28

They just loved us and to see us succeed was enough for them, but to be able to turn around and do for them was the best best thing I could ever ask for.

BeBe Winans30:00

Who is that?" She was embarrassing.

BeBe Winans30:22

But it's like, can you just be a little bit quieter? I understand what she goes through, you know. But it is it's something that, you know, a dad and a mom in knowing what they sacrificed to be at this place is it's hard to keep it.

BeBe Winans31:23

I love embarrassing what she feels truly. But you can't help it. You can't help it. It is very it's it's an incredible thing for your parents to say, "I'm proud of you."

BeBe Winans31:41

I'm proud of you.

BeBe Winans31:43

And so it's something I care my my father passed like 18 years ago. And I remember the last word that came out of his mouth was, "Benny," as he would call me. I said, "Yes, sir." He said, "You're a great son. You've been a great son." And the next day he had a seizure and he wouldn't be able to say another word.

BeBe Winans32:09

So, it's, you know, it's something that children take with them. Um, uh, that that foundation that their parents build.

BeBe Winans32:25

Oh, yeah. Oh, please. I told my mother I said the other day, when you take your wings and fly, I'm going to do a movie about our family and it's going to be rated R.

BeBe Winans32:48

Wow. you know, it's it it it's always um it's always I there's there's always butterflies to this day. There's always butterflies,

But we we you know, the going from America's Got Talent, going from being at home and to America's Got Talent to that stage, a lot of those kids are not ready.

BeBe Winans33:17

And you can tell. Yeah.

You know, because they haven't conquered fear. So, it was a a a situation for my family where it was levels. And so, my father taught us that you got to sing for 12 people in the audience. Sing like it's 120,000. So, when things So, when when we arrived at that place where there's an arena and there's 12,000 people and it's sold out, we were ready for it.

BeBe Winans33:46

Ready for it. And and so I think that is the most important for people because at every level, let's put it like this. When you go to kindergarten, you're not ready for graduation from high school.

BeBe Winans34:03

You got to go to the first grade, you got to go to second. And in all those situations, you learn more of who you are and how to handle what the teacher's going to give you. So at at that graduation then going to college it prepares you for life. Well sometimes we used to say in our industry people go to sleep and wake up a singer. It's like you don't do that when it comes to medical.

BeBe Winans34:35

You don't go to sleep and then wake up say you know what I'm a doctor

And I'm just going to go to a hospital and just operate.

BeBe Winans34:41

That's not going to happen. But and and with that it caused the industry to to to kind of crash because people weren't ready to be that singer and so it lowered the bar because even your attitude from kindergarten to first to second it changes. So you have a lot of things that the industry is facing because people weren't ready to do what they wanted and desired to do. Hadn't prepared to be that. And so um so a lot of times I don't even turn on the TV to watch musical things.

BeBe Winans35:25

Oh man.

Or the most memorable. So, so when you've seen and you've watched things happen on television and then one day I'm doing this stage.

BeBe Winans35:39

So, the Greek theater in Los Angeles, California, one of the famous outdoor amphitheaters. Wow. CeCe, we arrived. The the Carnegie Hall in New York. It's like somebody pinch us. What are we doing here? And then you go overseas in various venues there and just other countries where your music has traveled all around the world. I remember me and my sister performing in Russia and it's like what are we doing in Russia? And I we came in on a train and we got there people these guards and everything came up on the train and they stopped at BBCZ.

Yes. come with us. It's like what what do we do? But we had a concert there and people were there. So you find yourself in places and and you you you feel like you're dreaming because how did this happen? But with dedication with with with the love that we had and the patience and and all those things, it brought us places that we never dream that we would ever be, right? Um and that continues. I still find myself in places that wow we perform at Radio City Music Hall as just BB and CCC not you know there sometimes you do some of these places with other people or festival but when it becomes just you as a collective but now it's just you and her it's like okay and you take it gracefully you really do and knowing that is not just for you.

That's the thing that was so wonderful and beautiful for me and my sister. We knew we were opening doors for others to walk through.

And that um is something I'm still proud of.

BeBe Winans37:41

That was my mom and dad. My mom would be sitting in the in in in the arena or the the the venue with us and saying, "All right, why are we doing rehearsal?" And my mother would say, "Well, I hope people come." Said, "Mama, it's sold out."

Yeah. Well, I hope they still come and ma, they're coming.

BeBe Winans38:28

Even if it's 12. And and so the size really doesn't matter. As a business person, you do want to do good business with the people in business with you. And so, you know, me and my sister are getting ready to uh go out on tour for the first time in 25 years.

BeBe Winans38:48

And everything is set in stone. The tickets are going to go on sale and you sit there and say, "Well, I hope people are."

BeBe Winans38:58

that progression was a long period of time, but um as when you when you start out and you're driving yourself around, I remember driving the van for my brothers because as I stated, they were first ones that became

Uh uh recording artists and and doing professional concerts. So, and I was their driver. And so, you learn and you learn what's needed in order to go to the next stage. You learn what's needed um not only physically but mentally, you know, that this comes with this and this comes with that. The patience of, you know, after the concert, you know, meeting people, shaking hands and all those things and and it can be tiring. Yes, it can be hard but you learn persistence is is important, appreciation is important, gratitude is important.

So you learn all those things. So when it when it when it ri arrives to and what's funny for for me and CeCe is when we were going on tour for the first time and we were touring venues right

At that point in time Whitney Houston was a great friend of ours like family

And so about three weeks before we were opening you know Whitney's album at that time was uh the song the album had came out yet but I want to dance for somebody that was huge.

Whitney decided she was going on tour, our first tour with us

And she was going to sing background.

What? Whitney Whitney Houston sang backup forced for BBNCC. Clive Davis of Airesa Records was losing his mind. But what people didn't know as well, Whitney made had um our our our outfits made without us knowing and she had made her a dress to go along with the other background singers.

BeBe Winans41:23

So she was on tour with us. She was on a tour bus and everything and we finished one concert. It was like concert number two and she met us there and she sung background and we got on the tour bus and we was just a lady just having fun and she said let's let's stop and get something to eat. Now this was new for me in season. So the first concert we didn't do what she was going to ask us to do and that was stop off and get something to eat and we said well we we can't.

She said what do you mean you can't? I said, "Well, our bus driver said, you know, we have to wait to get something to eat when we get to the next city." She said, "He told you that." [gasps] She said, "Hold on." She went up front. She said, "Sir, did you tell them you want somebody to get?" She said, "He ain't supposed to tell he's supposed to go everywhere y'all tell." Um, the next exit, she said, "You come up and we're going to eat." Then she looked back.

She said, "Is he making up your beds?" It's like no and make every better. Oh my god, that's awesome. He was getting away with a lot of things that they was responsible in doing. Oh my god. But she taught us.

She and Clive again, Clive Davis was saying, "You can't do this. You're Whitney Houston. You're a song and she said, "You can't tell me what to do. This is my family. I'm having a ball." She had a ball.

BeBe Winans43:06

It was written up about this. People magazine did a write up and everything. the world knew, the music world and every a lot of people knew the friendship between us and how much it meant to her.

BeBe Winans43:24

You know, and so she was in Nashville a lot. The people didn't know that she was just hanging out.

BeBe Winans43:32

Oh, the best.

BeBe Winans44:04

you know, the the the restaurant Houston's, right? Yeah. I never, you know, it was

It was a terrible day when Houston's closed, right?

Um on West End. And so we were there and Whitney was with us and people noticed. And so people at this other table that was not too far of us, they didn't know who we were and they didn't know who Whitney was.

BeBe Winans44:31

But they noticed everybody was stopping by the table

In the autograph, especially from Whitney. And so they decided to come up to the table and the they were very kind. She said, "Excuse me. Um, what's your name?" She said, "Whitney." She said, "Cuz I see all these people." And she was an elderly lady stopping by. Do what do you do? Cuz you know, everybody's not going to know who you are. And so she said, "Well, I sing." And she said, "Well, can I have an autograph?" And Whitney said, "Um, that's no problem, but you want an autograph from somebody you don't know?"

And she looked at her and said, "Yes, Whitney signed her name." Um, but she was and still is in in in our hearts one of the most dearest people that I have ever met.

BeBe Winans45:34

A block behind us. And then we became very good friends. And again, I remember the Greek theater that I mentioned, me and my sister perform at the night we did, Whitney was with us.

BeBe Winans45:47

And it was CeCe's birthday October the 8th. And um Whitney sat in the audience with, you know, different people around her. Yeah.

Um, and at a certain point in time, she stood up and sang happy birthday.

BeBe Winans46:03

To CeCe from the audience. And behind the the the stage on on the stage with us was Stevie Wonder. And I called him out and he sung May the good Lord bless you. Oh my god. It

It was some things I never will forget. And then there was another group that came and sang uh named Take Six.

Yeah. who's who sang um as a opening act. And while I'm on the side, Stevie Wonder says, "Beie," I said, "Yes, sir." He said, "You're an incredible writer." And I was like, "Wait a minute. Stevie Wonder just told me that I'm a I'm a good writer. Can somebody record this for me?" I mean, it's just moments that happened that you never will forget. That just gives you more courage to keep on going and to think bigger. [snorts]

BeBe Winans47:07

No, never worked with him, but I was at an event. We were honoring Barbara Stryand.

BeBe Winans47:14

And I sang a duet um with another singer, and I didn't know he would be at my table. Um, and when I came back to the table, Prince was sitting right next to me and we just started chatting. He started telling me about my career and how much he's followed me and my sister and the family and and it's just moments you just say, "What?

BeBe Winans47:47

So talented, and you know, just became friends with a lot of these people that I never thought we would be friends, you know.

BeBe Winans48:04

Was that on the Dave Chappelle?

BeBe Winans48:16

That is. Yeah, he was. He still is. It's the And so athletes think they're singers.

BeBe Winans48:24

Singers think they're athletes.

BeBe Winans48:27

And so one of you know, especially the time when I grew up.

BeBe Winans48:32

You know, did Pistons worst enemies was the Chicago Bull. Oh yes. Right.

And Michael Jordan was

BeBe Winans48:41

Terrorizing everyone. And so me and my sister, still living in Detroit at the time, we came home from a concert. I mean, certain things I never will forget. We came home from the concert. We're at the baggage claim and I see this big crowd group of of people and I realize it's the Chicago Bulls. They're in town to play the Pistons. I'm like, I want the Pistons to chew you up. I look over, I see Michael Jordan.

I never met Michael. Yeah.

And I was like, "Michael Troy, I got to go over something."

BeBe Winans49:16

And so I walk over, he has some earphones on. He's looking down and once he sees somebody in front of him, he looks up and I'm standing there getting ready to say something to him. He said, "Hold on. Hold on." And I just stand there and he took off his earphones and he looked at me. He said, "Put your head down." I said, "What?" He said, "Put your head down." I put my head down. He put on his earphones and it was my record. He was like,

BeBe Winans49:46

I'm telling you. I was like, "What?"

BeBe Winans49:52

I when I took him off, I looked at him. I said, "Now tonight, because of this, I want y'all to beat the business." Became the best of friends to this day. Michael is a great friend of mine. and and but those moment those moments it's just like I I would have never dreamed this would happen. And so music I learned can break down doors that nothing else can. Can bring people together like nothing else can. Um and so it's been a pleasure to walk this walk and continue to walk the walk to encourage people to let them know that there is an answer.

You can get through. And to to be able to transport those those answers to people through music has been more of a delight than I could have ever dreamed of.

BeBe Winans50:54

When I first moved to um my home, my first home on Concord, you know, it was a it's it's a little bit bigger now, but the country store. Yeah. There was only one pump. Yeah. You know, and a little So you going I I never will forget going in that store. This is like 25 years ago. Going in that store and picking up what I wanted to pick up and I'm going to the cash register and Dolly was at the cash register and I said, "Oh, Dolly Parton." I said, "Hello." She looked at me, she said, "Hey, hi honey." said, "Dolly Parton, it's so good to meet." She said, "What's your name?" I said, "Be." She says, "Be pleasure to meet you, too." I said, "I just I don't know what to say.

I never thought I would ever meet you or see you." She said, "I tell you what, if you come back tomorrow, you'll

BeBe Winans51:53

She was the realest and the most loveliest person I've ever met. And so I was overseas when I heard the news that she had passed away. And I remember just sitting in my seat for a minute just trying to take it in

Because she was such a light.

BeBe Winans52:15

In so many places, you know, and so and as you know our run, you run by every day and just like not the same.

Yeah. It's not the same.

BeBe Winans52:39

She was full of life and you know and in in in the the

Being in the the public eye, you really fight for your personal life. you know, being as such a public figure as she was, it was a fight to keep some of the things that was dear to her, which was her health, which is her her the people she loved, her family.

And even then, she led us in a little bit. Yeah.

The fight she was having. But that was her. That was her. She She fought her fights privately, and she served the public with nothing but love.

BeBe Winans53:43

Yes. Yes.

BeBe Winans53:45

Oh my gosh, it was. So if I known Nashville was going to bust through the the seams like that, I would have been more in tune with minding up everything that Yeah. But it and that's the thing I love still with everything that has happened in Nashville. You still have that southern hospitality. Yeah. Even with all the buildings and the businesses that have come into Nashville, you still have a piece of country.

BeBe Winans55:18

See? No, that was

BeBe Winans55:21

Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Everywhere I go, no matter where I go, I'm staying in a hotel, wherever, I'm asking the concier and everything, my first question is, "What kind of animal do you have in this part of your world?" cuz I don't want to bump into Now I was in Vancouver.

BeBe Winans55:42

Wait a minute, Kenny. Nobody told me. I went to the concier like I do and I said, "What kind of animal?" He said, "Oh, when you run down the front, maybe just goose and, you know, skunk or just, you know." So, I was like, "Oh, I can handle everything he said." So, I ran. It was It was a 10 mile run. They said it was a eight mile run. It ended up being a 10mi run. And so, um, finished the run, came back, got dressed, and went because I was doing a movie and, um, one of the the actors that was playing my daughter, one of my daughters, she she's around her, too.

And she said, "Did you run today?" I said, "Yes, I ran this morning." And where? I said, "Down the the water." I took down to the water. She said she said, "Oh, did you see any um you see any cougars?" I was like, "What?" I looked at her and said, "What did you just say?" She said, "Every now and then it could be a cougar. We have cougars outside. You got to be kid." I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and talk to that concier.

And when I saw him, I said, "Okay, so y'all have cougars?" Well, I said, "You you didn't think it was important to tell this scary man that there may be a cougar looking at me?"

BeBe Winans57:22

Oh, see, see, y'all crazy. See, y'all crazy. I think a little crazy.

Oh, no. No, no, no, no. You I'm I'm a scary person when it comes to animals. I just respect the wild.

BeBe Winans57:41

I have two. I have two grown. My daughter is now 31 and she lives in Atlanta and my son lives in um Phoenix, Arizona. He's 28.

BeBe Winans57:57

The kids. No, my my you know they have my my children have a little voice but they never wanted to sing and so they they never you know worked at it.

BeBe Winans58:10

And to chime in on their talent, right? And so maybe six, seven, eight years ago, my son calls me. He said, "Dad, you know what we should do?" I said, "What?" He said, "We should do a duet." I said, "Dad don't sing with people that don't can't sing."

BeBe Winans58:31

No, sir. No, sir. But they they love and respect music, but they didn't get on that path.

BeBe Winans58:38

I have some nieces and nephews that do.

BeBe Winans58:41

And have recorded and and rising with it. Oh, yeah.

BeBe Winans58:47

Um, no. One of my niece though, she's been on She's an actress. She never wanted to sing, but she knew she was going to be an actress.

So, she's been on she's done a lot of television now. Oprah Winfreyy's uh she had her drama series called Green Leaf, and that was the first um acting gig

That she received was Oprah Winfrey.

BeBe Winans59:10

Yeah. And so, she's gone on to just uh do great things and continue doing great things. She's lived in California.

BeBe Winans59:16

Her name is Deborah Joy.

BeBe Winans59:29

For me and my sister, we're looking forward to uh April the 17th will be the first date of 2027.

Um 15 cities we decided. Yeah. Because

I'm too I'm not going to say I'm too old, but I retired from certain things and touring is one thing I retired from. Um, but we're looking forward to going to these 15 cities. Los Angeles, Nashville is not one of them. Um, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, uh, Philadelphia, Boston, New York,

New York, and, uh, Connecticut, New Jersey. Um, those are the 15 and

BeBe Winans1:00:18

Well, we'll start I'm starting to me I'm I'm over putting this the show together and the band. So, I'm in the stage now where I've chosen the musical director.

Um, and I'm writing out the songs cuz you cannot

Put everything you've done into one show. I know people may be, well, you didn't sing my song. Your song

BeBe Winans1:00:51

So, but putting the band together and how the presentation will look,

You know, on the stage set and everything set

BeBe Winans1:01:03

Yes. Oh, yeah. Lighting director that will work on what we want and everything. And so this to me the journey is what is exciting.

BeBe Winans1:01:13

You know, after you get on stage that's like riding the bike again.

BeBe Winans1:01:16

And so we'll have fun doing that. But the journey is what I'm excited about.

BeBe Winans1:01:59

It's like theater. you really really work hard to get to that point and then you have eight shows a week and when whatever period you're signed on like six months or a year and that last closing show it takes a while for it to get out your body. You wake up thinking oh I have to be at the oh no we close have to be anywhere. You have to learn what to do with yourself.

A lot of people struggle with that. Oh yeah. Because some people But I I I I learned this. The the thing you can't get addicted to is the applause.

BeBe Winans1:02:34

Cuz if you get addicted to the the applause, you can lose yourself. I actually wrote a song because I I I did a musical that I wrote about me and my sister's life and our our family story. and we've did like 12, no, four, five different regionals, you know, stages and we're in line for Broadway [gasps] and that was therapeutic. That journey was absolutely incredible. So, so just to say it takes time. The journey is what I enjoy the most. And so this journey now that's before us, I'm going to enjoy it.

And next year, April, we started.

BeBe Winans1:03:27

Well, you you you know we definitely um sit down and talk to um the different agencies. Um we're we're you know blessed to the point where there's a tour manage tour management company that works with CC that was like

This we're going to let them do it.

And so it it's when you have a body of work it's definitely more easier to get people attention that want to be a part of it. And so all that is locked in. um when you're just starting that's a whole different

Situation to to artists that have a body of work. So very easy in those matters as far as the business matters. Um but you want to still choose correctly.

Yeah. Um and and at the same time there are some cities that we're not going to which we desire but the time frame we gave ourselves we're not going to be able to because there's

There's there's there are different countries that are calling and asking because the word is starting to get out now. We know more is going to come to us. So that's the hard point of the hard part of saying no.

BeBe Winans1:04:46

Can't come.

BeBe Winans1:04:47

You know, and people will be disappointed that. But you know, we'll give them enough time where they can fly into the city where we're going to be

BeBe Winans1:04:58

Yeah.

Touring is wear and tear.

BeBe Winans1:05:12

A little bit,

BeBe Winans1:05:14

Yeah. Not completely.

BeBe Winans1:05:18

Yes.

BeBe Winans1:05:21

And see the the the reality too is you don't know when you're going to get sick. You don't know when you're going to be such and such this and that. and all those challenges become a little bit harder just to um ignore because you know there's 10,000 people and you have a contract to be [snorts] there. So you got to pull up your brave pants and

Go out there and act like there's nothing wrong

BeBe Winans1:06:08

Oh yeah. And and they become more enjoyable because it's not the [sighs and gasps] hard um it's not as hard as touring.

BeBe Winans1:06:26

And you become selective. Mhm.

I've always been selective. So if I don't believe in the person or the thing I'm going for, I don't go

BeBe Winans1:06:36

At all.

BeBe Winans1:06:37

You know, so you can't just throw out

BeBe Winans1:06:41

Any number and I'm coming.

BeBe Winans1:06:45

You, you know, if it's something I believe in and someone and usually it's people I know

BeBe Winans1:06:52

And have a relationship with and Okay. you know, whether it's a birthday party, different and and and and what I love is always behind the scenes. So, I've done a lot of behind the scenes when I left touring um for people like Oprah Winfrey that have these different engagements and I would bring the music part to that. I got you, hiring other people to do this. And

So, I enjoy behind the scenes more.

BeBe Winans1:07:28

I run every day, Monday through Saturday. No excuse.

BeBe Winans1:07:33

And it's either if I'm home, it's 8 and a half miles. And if I'm gone and so every city I'm in

Um frequently like Los Angeles or New York, when I'm in New York, I run Central Park.

BeBe Winans1:07:47

You know, and that's like seven miles. Um, in Los Angeles I run in Beverly Hills. There's a there's on Wilshire. There's a path I do to 405 freeway. So, um, I know every run is going to be at least between seven and eight miles, maybe a little bit above that. So, every day and I I just watch what I eat just a little bit. I never believed in diet. So, I'm not on a diet because if you do a diet, that means you're coming back.

BeBe Winans1:08:20

I lift every day.

BeBe Winans1:08:22

Every day. Monday do right after the cardio. Yeah, I lift.

BeBe Winans1:08:26

Yes.

BeBe Winans1:08:28

Yeah.

BeBe Winans1:08:43

Oh no. That's why I do it right after.

BeBe Winans1:08:48

Weightlifting is not going to happen if I don't do it right after my run.

Yeah. No, I got a lot of just say get a little drink and go into the weights. And so these days when I'm at home, I have a trainer that comes Monday, Wednesday. Actually came today cuz he was out of town. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Y and then the other three days I do on my own. And that's the thing of working my whole journey with a trainer. So I understood what I was doing when I was by myself. That was his his purpose. He said, "I want to teach you what to do so you don't harm yourself and what you're lifting and what you're building when you're not with me."

So I'm part-time trainer, too.

BeBe Winans1:09:34

A pleasure, sir.

BeBe Winans1:09:39

Yes.

BeBe Winans1:09:42

You have to. I think I want you to come to New York.

Okay. I know you know Boston and come New York so you and I can run that morning with your partner.