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HEART TO HEART WITH VICKIE WINANS - PART 2: Winans on weight loss and new album
Plus: how she got Bishop T.D. Jakes on board new CD and the one thing she’d love to do
As the title indicates, it is from one woman to another, (from her to her female fans) and is intended to be a healing tool for women. It made sense to pursue Jakes, the unofficial women’s therapist in the Body of Christ as host.
So with holy boldness, and “by any means necessary” focus, she sought after Bishop T.D. Jakes to do something he had never done before—host a live recording for a gospel artist. Self-managed Winans relishes in her accomplishment.
In this continuation of the interview, she addressed a lot of womens’ least favorite subject (weight loss) and projecting feminine self confidence with fashion. (The subdued allure of her glamorous appearance on her CD cover is an example of this.) Winans said she tried everything (diets, working out) to lose weight. Her quest to lose weight happened when Don Jackson, head of the Stellar Awards called Vickie’s bluff. At one of her concerts she’d blithely stated, “Maybe they’ll let me host the Stellars if I lose weight.” After trying “everything” she resolved to have the gastric by-pass surgery and had a second surgery to correct her loose skin. At 75 pounds thinner, an even more vibrant Winans has co-hosted The Stellars for the past few years. Her advice to other women with weight issues is to simply “do what you gotta do” to drop the pounds and be healthy.
Our girl talk picks up around a discussion about how she purchases clothing after her drastic physical transformation:
Mona Austin: So now when you buy your clothes, is there a limit for you? Do you say ‘Okay I’m a size 12, I dare not buy anything over a size 12’ or do you get things custom made?
Vickie Winans: Well I buy them out of the store but I get a lot of things made. I draw pictures and I send them over to my seamstress, and he makes them for me. The dress that is on the album I brought that out of a store here. It’s from France. We had to order it from France but the store is here.
MA: It is immaculately done. You look like a chocolate drenched angel.
VW: Oh my God! I got to write that down.
MA: When I saw the cover I didn’t open it right away because I was like ‘look at Ms. Winans!’
VW: My husband told me to tell the record company that “They are not putting that record out with that picture of you on the cover. Are they nuts?”
MA: You look great. We know that you can sing beyond singing, but we always know that when you show up you are going to have on some extravagant Cinderella type gown or the nicest pants suit. You’re just a sharp dresser. Where did that come from?
VW: You know what? I have eleven sisters and brothers and seven of them are sisters. There were eight girls in our family and we were very, very poor. We used to sit down and put sheets around our heads and pretend like we were Cinderella, princesses, and things like that and never knew in a million years that I would be able to buy the type of clothes that I buy. I don’t like gaudy, I just like classy. My mom taught us that even in what we had, she taught us how to be classy. It’s a difference between gaudy. You’re not going to ever see me showing cleavage, mini-skirts…I guess I don’t have to do that in order to get compliments. You know what I mean?
MA: Absolutely. Always tastefully done.
VW: I want be because I want people to see Christ. When I step on stage, I don’t want people to be looking at me, flesh, and they can’t see Christ. I want to always direct them to Christ and make people feel like they came to my house to have a show.
MA: You definitely accomplished that. I’ve witnessed that several times myself. Now, in terms of some of the titles on the CD, number 13 disc 1, “I need a man”. What’s the story behind that one?
VW: It’s such a catchy title. I am sure all the women are going “I’ve got to go straight and hear what that’s about.” It’s actually the Lord singing about the kind of man that He wants. It’s kind of paradoxical for me to sing it on his behalf, because it’s not really coming from me but from God. The chorus goes (singing) “I need a man who will love me just for who I am. Give me a man who believes I’m soon to come again.” That’s the chorus. It’s hot, it’s really hot. It sounds…it’s got the flavor of a Marvin Gaye track but it’s a hot song.
MA: Speaking of flavor, on some of your recent music you’ve collaborated with your son and with your nephew. Did you feel an obligation to reach a younger audience or did you just want to work with them? What inspired that?
VW: My last record was a family record. If you remember “I got happy”, “Shake yourself loose”…then I got “Kids love Jesus too”. It was a family record so that everybody in the family could bring it all together and listen as a family. In order to do those young songs I went and got those young people.
MA: And in your last video I’ve heard that you actually learned to play the drums so that you could do it and make it real. Were you really playing those drums?
VW: I played the drums since I was little. I played them since I was a little girl. That’s where Mario got it from.
MA: Do you play any other instruments?
VW: No. I don’t play great, great drums but I can play the drums, so I was playing. I played the drums. No, I didn’t have to learn it. I taught them what I wanted to play on that particular part with the drum. If you see that video it was crazy.
MA: Oh it’s crazy but I love it. I just love everything that you do. It seems everything that you do turns to gold and you’ve done so much over your career. I mentioned earlier how you have not only helped people toward healing with your singing. I can’t even stay there because anybody who knows anything about gospel knows that you have contributed in a huge way and the great songs that you’ve ministered, but you’ve also been a humanitarian working with Feed the Children.
MA: You have contributed in a huge way with the great songs that you’ve ministered, but you’ve also been a humanitarian working with Feed the Children.
VW: Yes. Now that is my baby. I love that…first of all, I had no idea they were going to play that show like they played it. Oh my God! Every single week, every single Sunday. I was like “Okay?” And then they had ordered so many CDs and DVDs to giveaway so obviously that was a great, great, great, thing for them and they want to do it again. So, I loved doing it because I got a chance to sing with those babies and I love me some kids. They love me and you know kids can tell you the truth. They know when you really do love them. They’re not fake like some grown people are. You know what I mean?
MA: Right. What does your sense of realness come from when you’ve gone through so many things in you life, or are you just at a point where you’re past 50 and say “Well here I am!”
VW: Yeah, there it is. It doesn’t even matter anymore. We’re on our way down. When you are 13, 14,1 7, 21 you are on your way up. We’re over the cliff on our way down….we’re on our way out of here. We knew it so you just have to live life everyday to the fullest, be kind an sweet to everybody, be happy, love the Lord, try your best to do the best you can, and see Jesus in the end. That’s flat out the way it is.
MA: I hear you. What other things have you done that are related to humanitarian efforts? No, the question I wanted to ask you is about being a spokeswoman. Was any of that ever intentional? You’ve been the spokeswoman for quite a few organizations.
VW: Yes. We started out way back in Quaker Oats, I was a spokesperson for Quaker Oats. I did oatmeal commercials, pancake commercials and they gave away millions of dollars to African American churches. I did that for six whole years. We were only supposed to do one but they just loved it and the products in the African American community market went up and was about 17%. So they kept on doing it for about six years and then, from there I did Wrigley’s gum. I’ve done Chrysler, McDonalds. I do McDonald’s every single year. With the Chrysler thing, the Chrysler team was awesome too…I got a winner for my record company, Destiny Joy Records and I am also the spokesperson also for Donna Vinci. The Donna Vinci clothes line.
MA: How are things going with your new group?
VW: They’re great. Well actually the girl who won the Chrysler Financial situation, her name is Datisha Pickett. I am getting ready to put her in the studio, she’s an awesome girl. And then another group called the Miracle Lights. The Miracle Lights are a quartet girl group out of Miami. 4 girls out of Miami that can just “stomp down sing.” So we are excited about those too.
MA: Will you be touring with this album?
VW: I think I tour all year long. Every year I do 220 shows…every single solitary year.
MA: When do you sleep?
VW: I know. Next year I would like to do a 100 city tour maybe and then just go somewhere and sit down for about six months or so.
MA: Will be able to see your artist on tour with you then.
VW: Yes. I’ll have them on tour with me. Yes I will.
MA: For anyone who might be curious about the flavor of music on this album, describe both of the CDs and what it is about. I know what it’s about I just want to hear you say it.
VW: There a songs on there for healing and hurting. They’re songs on there about triumph and joy. I have tribute to my son which if you get a minute today…it’s track no. 17 on disc 1. And the both of the tributes for my son that’ll make you cry. That’s that whole momma thing. I got songs in there for sisters and then I got songs that men can appreciate. And then the introduction from Bishop Jakes…any time you do 33 tracks, something’s got to hit hard.
MA: I so admire your perseverance as an artist and as a woman in business. You are self-managed and speaking of your career how long have you been managing yourself?
VW: Whooo. 15 years.
MA: Wow, I didn’t realize that and I admire your perseverance because I know with Bishop Jakes you were developing your idea for the live portion of this recording. You wanted him to come and you weren’t certain of how he would respond but you persisted and got Bishop Jakes to come and be the host of your program.
VW: Exactly. You know what I told him? I told him when I finally got him of the phone I said, ‘Bishop I was going to have to fly to Dallas and lay across your front porch. You were gonna have to call the police. I was just gonna lay across your front porch until you said yes.’ He was laughing and said ‘Girl, you’re crazy. First of all, I’m a fan. Number 2, yes I will do it. Let me see if my schedule will let me do it before we get through let me see if I can fit it in the schedule.’ I was walking through the airport in Chicago and they called me back and told me that man was coming, girl you know I had a clip on ponytail. When he told me that, it went all over the place. I thought I dropped it in the airport. I was jumping and screaming and hollering.
MA: What did you actually say to him when you reached him? How did you pose the question?
VW: I was hosting the Stellar Awards and his son came to the stage and said “Vicki, Vicki, Vicki…and I said “hold it, stop talking. Here is what I need you to do. Go tell your daddy I done called three people and ain’t got no response.” Tell your daddy I said “I need him to call me. Tell him it’s urgent.” He said “okay, I am going to tell him now.” Sure enough, Bishop called me that week. When that man got on that phone, I said ‘Bishop Jakes how are you doing? I thought I was going to have to come lay on your porch.” He said “you don’t have to do all of that I will do it if I can, and I couldn’t believe it! And he did it and he was masterful. When he did the introduction, oh my God. . .
MA: So you handled most of the production as well? You were involved in that as well?
VW: I think I produced probably about 24 of the 33 tracks, I produced them.
MA: What don’t you do?
VW: I know.
MA: Have you thought about doing other endeavors in entertainment? Writing books , etc.
VW: Well I’ve already written a book. . . .well I’ve just done one play. Child, just whatever I want to do I just do it. At least I take a stab at it anyway.
MA: That’s wonderful.
VW: Yes, I just love working period.
MA: It keeps you going. What is it that you have not done in your personal or your professional life over the last twenty years?
VW: I want to be in a movie either with Tyler Perry or with Steven Spielberg. If Steven Spielberg calls me somebody is going to have to know I am on my way to the hospital.
MA: What type of film would you like it to be?
VW: I don’t even care. As long as I got a role that doesn’t bother what I believe in, I don’t care.
MA: We will put the word out for you.
VW: Those two people for movies and if I could just sing a duet with Celine Dion. I’d be one happy chick.
MA: So she’s a favorite of yours. Who else do you like musically.
VW: I love her. I’ve been to Las Vegas to see her show I don’t know how many times.
MA: Really. Have you met her?
VW: Yes! I went backstage the first time I went and she came in singing one of my songs. Oh my gosh, I thought I was going to faint.
MA: That is awesome!
VW: She is just an awesome girl. I don’t know what else to tell you. Beyonce also, I love her voice and she is a sweet one too. And then I love all of my gospel artists.
MA: After it’s all said and done and we move on and make our transition from this earthly realm, what would you have inscribed on your own tombstone?
VW: “I’m finally with Jesus.”
MA: Alright.
VW: Because it ain’t even about any of this down here. I got a song on my record that had them screaming the other night in concert because I was singing some of my new stuff and I said “I’ve got a song called ‘I’m Waiting on Jesus to Call My Name,’ telling them that how my mom used to paint a picture in our minds when we were little that we were going to stand before God. And when I got grown, I thought about these six billion people in the world. A lot of us will be cussing when we stand in the grocery line so how can we stand in line waiting for judgment with six billion people? I had them laughing and I said hope the system has changed so I’m not in the back of the line behind six billion people. I don’t care, whatever, however the system is to be judged all I want to hear him say is ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.’ That’s it. That’s what it’s all about right there.
MA: Thank you so much for your time and sharing with us. Is there is anything I haven’t asked you that you would like to share with our readers?
VW: No. Honey, I would like to give you a reward for “The Greatest Interviewer.” How about that?
Win “Woman to Woman: Songs of Life” or catch her in person this August in a city near you! Winans will return to Chicago’s House of Hope where the live portion of her recording took place in a free concert celebrating the release on Wednesday, April 9.
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NEW MUSIC FROM VICKIE WINANS - Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Wives, Girlfriends & The Men Who Love Them …Vickie Winans Presents A Double CD Release of a Lifetime “Woman To Woman: Songs Of Life" IN STORES AUGUST 8TH, 2006!(www.verityrecords.com) (08/09)
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