A member of a multi-generational gospel music family,
Carvin Winans first emerged in the '80s and '90s as part of Grammy-winning singing group
the Winans with his brothers
Marvin,
Michael, and Ron. He later formed
3 Winans Brothers with
Marvin and
BeBe Winans in the 2010s. Over the years,
Carvin also found work as studio vocalist for the likes of
Michael Jackson,
Anita Baker, and
Kenny Loggins, and wrote songs for
Whitney Houston,
Peabo Bryson, and
Regina Belle, among others, including dozens of songs for the various solo and group projects by his family. After over 35 years in the music business, he released his first solo album, the urban contemporary-styled In the Softest Way, in 2019.
Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1958 to
Delores and David Winans, aka
Mom & Pop Winans,
Carvin Lawrence Winans began singing at the age of four. Eventually one of ten siblings, he formed
the Winans with older brother Ron, his twin brother
Marvin, and younger brother
Michael in 1980. Their music came to the attention of
Andraé Crouch, who quickly signed them to Light Records. Their first album,
Introducing the Winans, arrived in 1981. They made their debut in the Top Ten of the Billboard gospel chart with the follow-up, 1983's Long Time Comin', repeating the feat a year later with
Tomorrow. The latter won two Grammy Awards, one for
Marvin Winans' performance on "Bring Back the Days of Yea and Nay," and one for the quartet's on "Tomorrow." Their fourth LP, 1985's
Let My People Go became a gospel number one and crossed over to the R&B/hip-hop chart, where it peaked at number 57. The title track won a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance. It was their first album for
Quincy Jones' Qwest Records.
During his first five years with
the Winans,
Carvin not only wrote for the project but had begun producing some of their albums. In 1987, as part of
the Winans, he was a backing vocalist on
Michael Jackson's
Bad.
The Winans' next two studio albums made it onto the Billboard 200, including 1987's
Decisions, which won a Grammy for "Ain't No Need to Worry" featuring
Anita Baker, and 1990's
Return, which reached a career-high number 90. Also in 1990, Selah Records released Gospel Buggy, a collaboration between
Carvin Winans and actress/singer Kim Fields that included over a dozen guests, including
Vickie Winans and
David Peaston.
The Winans returned to the Top 20 of the gospel and Christian charts with 1993's
All Out and with 1995's
Heart & Soul.
All Out won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.
In the meantime,
Carvin sang on family projects including albums by his siblings
BeBe & CeCe Winans and youngest sisters
Angie & Debbie Winans. In 1997, his backing vocals appeared on the
Kenny Loggins LP
The Unimaginable Life. Christmas: Our Gifts to You, a holiday album credited to
the Winans, followed in 2000, but involved other family members and several guests;
Carvin did not appear on the record. The Rhino-issued The Very Best of the Winans reached number 16 on the Billboard gospel chart in 2002. Ron Winans died in 2005, effectively ending any desire for a reunion, and in 2007
the Winans were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
Carvin Winans eventually formed
3 Winans Brothers with
Marvin and
BeBe. Including tracks produced by
Daniel Weatherspoon and
Rodney Jerkins,
Foreign Land saw release by eOne in 2014. In 2017, saxophonist
Kirk Whalum included "Tomorrow," written by
Carvin and Deborah Winans, on his album
#Lovecovers.
Carvin, Debbie,
BeBe,
Angie, and
Juan Winans also sang on the record. At the age of 60,
Carvin Winans released his first solo album. Titled In the Softest Way, it arrived via the Dance Factory label in 2019. ~ Marcy Donelson