Sibling duos Mary Mary and BeBe and CeCe Winans will meet up on Easter Sunday for a celebration of music famously known as VERZUZ.
Created by GRAMMY® award-winning producers and entrepreneurs Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, VERZUZ was launched in March 2020. What started as a battle between two friendly rivals has grown into a global phenomenon that celebrates some of the greatest artists of our time, including gospel’s Fred Hammond and Kirk Franklin, highlighting their careers and generating powerful surges in sales and streams.
Sisters Erica and Tina Campbell (née Atkins), who make up the gospel duo Mary Mary, began singing in the church choir as girls and have broken the gospel barrier and found mainstream success. Prior to their 2000 debut album Thankful (featuring the hit single “Shackles”) and 2002 album Incredible, the sisters joined the traveling gospel show Mama I’m Sorry (1995) and toured individually as backup singers and writers for various R&B groups. The duo has two Grammy wins. The Atkins sisters grew up in Inglewood, CA, so it was befitting that they were chosen to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before the start of SuperBowl LVI at the newly opened SoFi Stadium.
Detroit-born brother-sister duo BeBe and CeCe Winans carry a great lineage as members of the gospel dynasty, The Winans. Although they have had individual success, nothing compares to the affectionate sound that is sparked by their musical union. They first appeared in the public eye as young teens when they debuted in 1982 as a part of the singing group The PTL Singers on the television show, The PTL Club. But their musical journey began in 1987 when they were offered a recording contract by Sparrow Records. Their debut release topped the R&B and inspirational charts, yielding a Grammy award along with Dove and Stellar awards for the self-titled project. They continued to gain success with the releases of Heaven and Different Lifestyles earning them the #1 slot on the Billboard sales charts. The duo later branched out and pursued solo careers. CeCe has since garnered fifteen Grammys and BeBe six along with several urban/inspirational awards and accolades.
HOW TO WATCH: Tune in at 9:30 pm ET on VERZUZTV.com, in the @triller app, on VERZUZ IG, Facebook, or Youtube. Watch in HD with the #TrillerVerzPass on FITE.tv.
– From a media release
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Gospel’s platinum-selling duo Mary Mary has to make room for another trophy. Last evening, Tina and Erica Campbell won the 2011 Soul Train Award for Best Gospel Performance (“Walking”). The award was presented at the pre-show on the red carpet.