WikiMini

Marvin Winans

Bishop
Marvin Winans
Birth nameMarvin Lawrence Winans
Born (1958-03-05) March 5, 1958 (age 67)
OriginDetroit, Michigan
United States
GenresGospel
Occupation(s)Singer, Pastor, Actor
Years active1975-present
Labelswith The Winans
Light
Qwest/Warner Bros.
with the Perfected Praise Choir
Sparrow Records
Diamante Music Group
Artemis Gospel
Pure Springs Gospel

Marvin Lawrence Winans Sr. (born March 5, 1958) is an American pastor and gospel singer, and a member of the Winans family as well as The Winans musical group. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

Life and career

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan,[1] the fourth of 10 children of Delores (née Ransom) and David Glenn Winans Sr., who recorded together as "Mom and Pop Winans".[2] His siblings David II, Carvin (Marvin's fraternal twin), Benjamin (BeBe), Daniel, Michael, Ronald, Priscilla (CeCe), Deborah (Debbie), and Angelique (Angie) also have careers in the music industry as singers, writers and producers.

Musical career

[edit]

Winans sang in the 1970s with his brothers Ronald, his twin Carvin, and Michael as The Testimonial Singers. The group also included others. Their first performance was at a high school talent show. In 1975, the group's name was changed to The Winans. Their musical careers spanned between the 1980s into the 1990s. The Winans, who were discovered by Andrae Crouch, released their first album under the new group's name, entitled Introducing The Winans, in 1981.[3]

The Winans were greatly influenced by Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans. An organist and pianist, Marvin also wrote songs, and produced for The Winans records, for solo projects from family members, and on other gospel releases. For his vocals on the 1985 song "Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay", Winans was awarded a Grammy for Best Male Soul Gospel Performance.

He founded The Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan in 1989.[4] He released an album featuring the church's choir in 1992 entitled Introducing Perfected Praise. His 2007 release, Alone but Not Alone, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.

In 1997, he founded the Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts ("WAPA"). In 2007, Winans released his first solo recording, Alone, But Not Alone. His fourth album entitled Marvin L. Winans presents The Praise + Worship Experience was released on June 26, 2012, recorded at his church through MLW Productions. The album features: Don Moen, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary, Mom Winans, Roderick Dixon, Bishop Paul Morton, amongst others.

On Saturday, February 18, 2012, Winans preached the eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral, at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.[5] He and several of his siblings and family members sang The Winans' hit "Tomorrow" at the service.[3]

On July 11, 2025, Winans appeared on Justin Bieber's album Swag with his song "Forgiveness", a rendition of the 1989 song "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" by Rick Founds.[6] With 163,000 sales and 3.8 million digital streams in the US, the song debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart and number 3 on the Hot Christian Songs.[7]

Personal life

[edit]

Winans was formerly married to gospel singer Viviane "Vickie" Winans, née Bowman, for 16 years, until their divorce in 1995. His sons, Marvin Jr. (Coconut), Josiah Winans, and stepson Mario "Skeeter" Winans are in the music business. Mario is a producer and R&B singer. Josiah Winans is a producer, featured on Marvin Jr.'s first solo project. Marvin Jr., once a member of Winans Phase 2, is a solo artist, a producer and pastor of Perfecting Home Church.

Winans married Dr. Deneen Carter in April 2022.

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
[8] 		US
R&B
[9] 		US
Gospel
[10]
Introducing the Winans — — —
Long Time Comin'
  • Released: 1983
  • Label: Light
  • Formats: LP
 — — —
Tomorrow
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: Light
  • Formats: LP
 — — —
Let My People Go — — —
Decisions
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Qest, Warner
  • Formats: LP
 — — —
Return
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Qwest, Warner
  • Formats: CD
 — — —
Perfecting Church — — 14
All Out
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Qwest, Warner
  • Formats: CD
 — — —
Heart & Soul
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Qwest, Warner
  • Formats: CD
 — — —
Christmas: Our Gifts to You — — —
Friends
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Diamante
  • Formats: CD
 — — —
The Songs of Marvin Winans — — —
Alone but Not Alone 85 77 1
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Charted songs

[edit]
List of charting songs and peak chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
R&B
[11] 		US
R&B
Air
[12] 		US
Gospel
[13] 		US
Gospel
Air
[14]
"Just Don't Wanna Know" 2008 87 25 —[A] Alone but Not Alone
"It's All God"
(with The Soul Seekers) 		2010 — — 17 Soul Seekers II
"Something About the Name Jesus"
(with Kirk Franklin, Rance Allen, John P. Kee, and Isaac Carree) 		2011 — — —[B] Hello Fear
"Send Your Rain"
(with Clint Brown) 		— — 28 Release
"Let the Church Say Amen"
(with Andrae Crouch) 		90 27 1 The Journey
"Draw Me Close (Thy Will Be Done)" 2012 — — 21 Marvin L. Winans Presents:
The Praise & Worship Experience
"It Belongs to Me"
(with Juan Winans and Lisa Winans) 		2020 — — 7 1 Non-album singles
"Everything Will Be Alright"
(with Spencer Taylor Jr. and Only 4 Jesus United) 		2022 — — —[C] —
"Able"
(with Jonathan McReynolds) 		2023 — — 6 1 My Truth
"Forgiveness" 2025 — — 1 — Swag
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "Just Don't Wanna Know" did not enter the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs, but peaked at number 13 on the Gospel Digital Song Sales.[15]
  2. ^ "Something About the Name Jesus" did not enter the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs, but peaked at number 16 on the Gospel Digital Song Sales.[16]
  3. ^ "Everything Will Be Alright" did not enter the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs, but peaked at number 7 on the Gospel Digital Song Sales.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Flying solo". The Detroit News. March 21, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  2. ^ Sisario, Ben (April 10, 2009). "David Winans, Gospel Patriarch, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Grammy Awards, Allmusic.com
  4. ^ WI, Pastor Marvin L. Winans, Perfecting Church Mark 30th Year, washingtoninformer.com, USA, October 9, 2019
  5. ^ Barry Carter, Marvin Winans to lead private funeral for Whitney Houston, washingtonpost.com, USA, February 15, 2012
  6. ^ Yap, Timothy (July 22, 2025). "Marvin Winans Joins Justin Bieber on Surprise Album SWAG". Jubilee Cast. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Asker, Jim (July 23, 2025). "Marvin Winans' 'Forgiveness,' From Justin Bieber's 'SWAG,' Debuts at No. 1 on Hot Gospel Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  8. ^ "Billboard 200: Week of October 13, 2007". Billboard. October 13, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  9. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Week of February 16, 2008". Billboard. February 16, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  10. ^ Peaks on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums:
  11. ^ Peaks on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:
  12. ^ Peaks on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay:
  13. ^ Peaks on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs:
  14. ^ Peaks on the Billboard Gospel Airplay:
  15. ^ "Gospel Digital Song Sales: Week of April 28, 2012". Billboard. April 28, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "Gospel Digital Song Sales: Week of April 16, 2011". Billboard. April 16, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  17. ^ "Gospel Digital Song Sales: Week of May 21, 2022". Billboard. May 21, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
[edit]