A Conversation with BeBe Winans – HuffPost 7.6.12

Mike Ragogna: Hello, BeBe, how are you?

BeBe Winans: I’m doing excellent. I’m doing great!

MR: And I’m doing great because it’s BeBe on the phone.

BW: That works for me, Mike!

MR: BeBe, your new album is titled America America, and I just can’t figure out what it’s about. You give absolutely no clues, so please, can you go into it for us?

BW: I’m always excited to turn a corner. Early on, when CeCe and I were making music together, we told the record company we were going to do a solo album, they were all nervous and said, “No, no, no!” because they got used to the BeBe and CeCe duo, and the solo situations just did wonderful and fine, so in my life I’ve never feared turning corners. This album is a departure of BeBe and CeCe and every Winan on earth, but I believe it’s a needed album right now for the current war that we’re in with each other in America. I believe the songs, I pray and hope will remind us all that we’re all Americans before any party.

MR: Yes, nicely said. I sing national anthems at ball games and hockey games here and there, but because I’m also connected with The Huffington Post, so occasionally, I’ll get that “He’s a liberal, why would he be singing the national anthem?” look, which sucks.

BW: It’s amazing to me, the division, and I agree with you. It’s time for us. If now has been ever the right time, it’s the right time that we all lay aside these titles and understand that together, we can achieve anything. So I have a right just like anyone else has a right to these wonderful songs, and not only the songs, but the meaning behind the songs because we’re all Americans. I’m excited to sing these songs. Being a songwriter, I have just enjoyed the journey of recording this album because these songs come from the heart. They come from experiences. It’s been a pleasure for me, and exploration. I’ve explored that there’s more than just one verse to the “Star Spangled Banner” and to “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” There are some third and fourth verses that I never knew existed. To me, some of them are even more powerful than the verses that we know.

MR: Yeah, it’s interesting. We’re such a hungry for knowledge nation that we don’t really have time to let everything sink in the way it needs to.

BW: Right. And we have to stop and take out the time. Really, I think in everything that we do, everyone is so busy. I’m teaching my children, “Look up, please. Look up.” IPads are nice, and texting is nice, but communicate with the eyes and with the mouth, and don’t let life pass you by because you’re so engulfed and so busy with the day to day things. I’ve just learned in my life to blow it off and enjoy every moment that I have, so I’m enjoying this album. I’m enjoying performing it. I’m going out on tour with a good friend of mine, Dave, and I’m going to sing some of these songs and some of the BeBe and CeCe songs as well. But I’m excited, really, to sing not only the national anthem, but other songs that sometimes we don’t get a chance to hear.

MR: There are a couple of tracks here that are sort off the beaten path, for instance your original “Ultimate Sacrifice.”

BW: “Ultimate Sacrifice,” along with the title cut “America America,” along with “We’re the United States of America” are songs that I penned, so I am excited to throw those into the ring of the incredible patriotic songs that we do know. But these are songs that I wrote. “Ultimate Sacrifice” is a song that I wrote when I went to sing for the troops right before we went to war in Iraq. I was touched by the many brave men and women that I met, and from that moment on, I wanted to say thank you for their sacrifices, so that song is really dedicated to the troops. It’s dedicated to the troops’ families, those who have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice. I felt that song was fitting for an album as this one.

MR: Yeah. BeBe, I’m also meaning that the new songs get sort of elevated into a “The Star Spangled Banner” and “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” especially in this album’s context and from the passionate way you’re singing them.

BW: Thank you, you’ve put a smile on my face, Mike. I think it’s so important. Another thing that artists used to say, and we still say, is that if you’re going to grab a song such when me and CeCe did The Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There”–and we were blessed enough to be able to call Mavis Staples and sing with us–we always used to say, “If you’re going to touch somebody’s song, especially something that is a big hit, you have to really make it your own.” So these songs, which are treasures to our country, I tried to make them my own because that’s important to me. I feel as if it’s coming from my heart. I’m singing these songs with passion and I believe in the song, and I think it goes into the heart of the listener, and they’ll be touched by it. I made it like it was my own. I made it like I was writing “The Star Spangled Banner.” I made it like I penned it. It means that much to me, so I hope it goes straight to the heart of those who listen to it.

MR: Right, and lots of people listen since you’re a multiple Grammy winner, and you’ve been in multiple Winan family configurations. Now, let me ask you about your PTL Clubperiod. What are your thoughts about that time and about the path you’ve taken to this point?

BW: I wouldn’t trade or change a thing, and I’ve had some hard times. I’ve had some times where I felt as if life sucked, if I could say that. And now, at the age and the place that I am in life, I look back and I grin. Really, I teach my children that in life, there is no control of what tomorrow is going to bring. There really isn’t. But in whatever it brings, we have choices, and I’m glad because I made more right choices than wrong, but in the wrong choices, there are lessons to be learned. So I’ve just learned since PTL it’s been a rollercoaster ride, but it’s been a great ride. Maya Angelou said something to me that I will never forget, which has been a help to me in my journey. She said, “Enjoy the struggle. Enjoy the struggle. People are trying to get to the top and want to have all this wonderful sunshine, but it’s in the struggle that you find out who you are. It’s in the struggle that you find out who your friends are, so enjoy it.” And I’m telling you, I’ve listened! I’ve heard her voice, and I’ve heard her words through the down times, through the dark times. So I’m enjoying the life, and I’ll continue to enjoy every moment, even when they’re a struggle.

MR: BeBe, speaking of friends and knowing who your friends are, right now, I’m looking at a picture of George Bush with his arm around you.

BW: (laughs) That was such a special moment for me. I was singing, I believe, if I’m correct, for the troops. And you know what? I’ll tell you the truth, and I just have to be honest. I love the man. I think the man is a wonderful man, and sometimes it’s hard for people to separate the man from the job. Even though I’ve disagreed with some things (he’s done) as president, in getting to know him, he’s a wonderful man and his wife is a wonderful woman. Life is funny, and a lot of times, the people that I’ve met have really gone past anything that I’ve ever dreamed of, so I’m really grateful. My friendships really go from the West to the East. You’d be amazed at some of the people I call friends.

MR: Yeah, including Stevie Wonder because when you were on Motown, you recorded his song “Jesus Children of America” with him and your brother.

BW: Yes, and I had to pinch myself when we were in the studio recording that. Being born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Stevie Wonder lived a block and a half away from us, and Smokey Robinson lived around the corner, and when it would snow, all the kids would dash to Stevie’s house or to Smokey’s house because instead of three dollars like everybody else would give you for shoveling their snow, they would give you twenty-five or fifty dollars! So to grow up and to become friends and to record and to sing on the same stage is just beyond a dream come true.

MR: And speaking of the stage, I want to get this in there to, your appearance in The Color Purple.

BW: Yes, I never thought I would play Harpo, being such a fan of the movie when it first came out. It was one of the movies I saw seven times in the theater and loved every minute of it. And through that, the relationship with Oprah has been for twenty-five plus years. So they did a call and I respect people in the theater. Actually, I’m in the midst of writing a musical about my family, and one of the partners with me is Todd Gershwin of the Gershwin family, so I’m very excited about that. Probably next year you’ll hear more on that, but it has been a whirlwind. So to play Harpo on Broadway, it was hard work! I give all respect to theatrical people. It was a joy.

MR: I also have to slip in your part in The Manchurian Candidate.

BW: The Manchurian Candidate with the one and only Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington. Denzel, being a friend up to that point of fifteen years, I wasn’t as nervous until they told me they changed some of my dialog, and I had to do more, and it’s like “Oh my God, I’m going to fall apart.” I never will forget being at the table reading thinking it was just the people in my two scenes, and Meryl Streep walked in, and I almost fainted. She’s one of the best and just the sweetest woman in the world. Dreams come true, but then things happen that are beyond anything you could dream. To be in a movie and to be in the same room participating in a movie with Meryl Streep? Come on!

MR: (laughs) Can you tell us a charming story about your family? Any story you like.

BW: Well, one thing about my family. People dream of winning Grammys and being on stage at Carnegie Hall, and that has come true for many of my family members. But the most exciting time for us was being at home 19131 Whittingham, where we had our own Grammy awards. We had our own Carnegie Hall right there in the middle of the den, and those awards shows were wonderful. One of the things that is true, and you can ask any of my family, is if you hosted the awards show right there in the den of the Winans Family home, you actually won every award that you were nominated for.

MR: (laughs) That’s sweet. So, you do projects not only as a solo artist, but also with CeCe and still do projects with the rest of the Winans right?

BW: Yes.

MR: Okay, do you perform group concerts where everybody goes out on the road together?

BW: We did two Winans family concerts. The last one was a desire of my mom and dad, and so we did it a couple of years before he passed, and it was fantastic. It’s just very difficult with everyone having families and various other schedules. I have a brother who’s a pastor and you can hardly get him out of Detroit, so I don’t know if there’s another Winans family tour, but if it happens, you’ll be the first to know.

MR: Bebe, surely there will be a tour associated with America America?

BW: Yes. I’m going out on tour with Dave Koz, the unbelievable saxophonist, and we’re hitting the road through the summer. I’m excited to sing America America, and he’s going to join me. There’s a saxophonist, which is my nephew who’s fifteen years old on the album on “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” so Dave is going to play that. We’re going to have fun singing these songs, and I hope more so than just having fun, inspiring the nation to come together, and let’s win these battles that we’re facing.

MR: Beautifully said. And speaking of inspiration, I ask every guest this. What is your advice for new artists?

BW: I was asked that yesterday, and as I said yesterday–and I’ll always say from this moment on–is to tell the new generation to know exactly who they are. Know who they are, where they want to go, focused and understanding that before they leave the front door because if they know who they are, then when they bump into the “no”s and when they bump into the craziness, they won’t get lost.

MR: Any words of wisdom?

BW: Words of wisdom? Patience. If you’re patient, you won’t make a lot of mistakes. That’s the word of wisdom. Learn patience.

MR: That’s really true, isn’t it.

BW: Yes!

MR: All right, well there are so many more questions I want to ask, which means I have to have you back again. By the way, I’ve interviewed your buddy Dave Koz acouple of times, and he’s always great.

BW: Okay, well maybe the fun part would be me and Dave at the same time on the same line. You may not get too many questions in, but you will have a fun time!

MR: (laughs) I’m in if you want to put that together.

BW: Let’s make that happen! It’s been a pleasure speaking to you, and next time, it’ll be you, me and Dave.

MR: You got it, and I appreciate your time very much. All the best, and have a great tour and a great record.

BW: Thank you!

Transcribed by Kyle Pongan