Alabaster Box (album)

1999 studio album by Cece Winans

Alabaster Box

Studio album by

Cece Winans

Released| October 19, 1999
Studio| Face To Face Studios (Southfield, Mississippi)

* Dark Horse Recording and Fun Attic Studio (Franklin, Tennessee)
* Ocean Way Recording, Vertical Sound Studio and Bridgeway Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
* Tribe Studio (Van Nuys, California)

Genre| Funk

* Soul
* Gospel

Length| 45:30
Label| WellSpring Gospel
Producer|

* CeCe Winans (exec.)
* Alvin Love (exec.)
* Cedric Caldwell
* Victor Caldwell
* Cedric Dent
* Fred Hammond
* Mark Kibble
* David Thomas

Cece Winans chronology
| His Gift
(1998)  | Alabaster Box
(1999)  | CeCe Winans
(2001)

|
|

Alabaster Box is the fourth studio album by American singer CeCe Winans. It was released by WellSpring Gospel on October 19, 1999 in the United States. Her debut release on WellSpring, her own label, Winans described Alabaster Box as an "experimental" album for the label before any new artists were signed. It did very well on the charts and included a duet with Take 6. Gospel artist Fred Hammond also took a production turn on the album.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
Allmusic| [1]

Allmusic editor Steve Huey found that Alabaster Box "is a return to [Winan's] gospel roots, in contrast to the straight-ahead urban soul of Everlasting Love, and it's a triumphant one. Winans sounds invigorated by the spiritual material, delivering committed performances and commanding vocals. The production sounds very contemporary, if a little slick at times, but that's not likely to bother most fans. Alabaster Box is an excellent album from a terrific talent."[1]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Fill My Cup" (Intro)| Richard Blanchard|  | 0:51
2.| "King of Kings (He's a Wonder)"|

* CeCe Winans
* Fred Hammond

| Hammond| 4:24
3.| "It Wasn't Easy"|

* Winans
* Christopher Harris

| Harris| 4:48
4.| "Alabaster Box"| Janice Sjostrand| Harris| 5:32
5.| "Comforter"| Randy Phillips| Harris| 4:42
6.| "Love of My Heart"|

* Winans
* Hammond

| Hammond| 4:17
7.| "Without Love"|

* Winans
* Hammond

| Hammond| 3:54
8.| "He's Not on His Knees Yet"|

* Allen Shamblin
* Madeline Stone

| Harris| 3:10
9.| "One and the Same" (featuring Take 6)|

* Kyle Matthews
* Pete Carlson

* Cedric Dent
* David Thomas
* Mark Kibble

| 4:20
10.| "Higher Place of Praise"|

* Winans
* Carlson

| Hammond| 3:51
11.| "Blessed, Broken & Given"| Lari A. Goss|

* Cedric Caldwell
* Victor Caldwell

| 4:54
12.| "King of Kings (He's a Wonder)" (Reprise)|

* Winans
* Hammond

| Hammond| 4:01

## Personnel

[edit]

* CeCe Winans – vocals, backing vocals (7)
* Fred Hammond – keyboards (2, 6, 12), bass guitar (2, 6, 10, 12), drum programming (2, 6, 12), backing vocals (6, 7, 10), acoustic guitar (7)
* Kent Hooper – programming (3)
* Michael Linney – programming (3), drum programming (5)
* Jeff Roach – programming (3, 5)
* Tom Howard – acoustic piano (4, 8), string arrangements (4, 8)
* Noel Hall – additional keyboards (6, 10), organ (6)
* Tommie Walker – keyboards (7, 10), drum programming (7, 10)
* Cedric Caldwell – instruments (11)
* Victor Caldwell – instruments (11)
* Darryl Dixon – acoustic guitar (2, 7, 12)
* George Cocchini – guitars (3, 5)
* Dan Needham – drums (3)
* Marvin McQuitty – live drums (6)
* Donald Hayes – saxophone (6)
* Carl Gorodetzky – string leader (4, 8)
* The Nashville String Machine – strings (4, 8)
* Resa Bell – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Bricie Byars – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Miautra Dias – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* PamKeynon M. Donald – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Sherri Edwards – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* LaShonda Lewis – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Tamika Lucas – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Yoshawndala Parker – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Cynthia Pasley – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Bryan Pratt – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Frederick J. Purifoy II – backing vocals (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Lisa Cochran – backing vocals (3, 5)
* Ron Hemby – backing vocals (3, 5)
* Marabeth Jordan – backing vocals (3, 5)
* Christopher Harris – backing vocals (5)
* Jan Harris – backing vocals (5)
* Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir – choir (5)
* Carol Cymbala – choir director (5)
* Take 6 – vocals (9)

### Production

[edit]

* Alvin Love – executive producer, management
* CeCe Winans – executive producer, A&R coordinator
* Fred Hammond – recording (2, 6, 7, 10, 12), mixing (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Ray Hammond – recording (2, 6, 7, 10, 12), mixing (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* James "JB" Baird – engineer (3-5, 8)
* Robert "Void" Caprio – engineer (3, 5)
* Tom Laune – mixing (3-5, 8)
* Todd Robbins – engineer (5)
* Les Pierce – recording (9)
* David Thomas – recording (9)
* Marcelo Pennell – engineer (9)
* Marcus Eason – assistant engineer (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Kevin Wilson – assistant engineer (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* Rob Evans – assistant engineer (3)
* PamKeynon M. Donald – production administration (2, 6, 7, 10, 12)
* PJ Heimmerman – production manager (3-5, 8)
* Dion Velasquez – production manager (3-5, 8)
* Karen Philpott – design
* Michael Gomez – photography
* C.W. Wellspring Entertainment – management

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (1999)  | Peak
position

|

US Billboard 200[2] | 129
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[3] | 5
US Top Gospel Albums (Billboard)[4] | 1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] | 55

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

United States (RIAA)[6] | Gold  | 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Alabaster Box > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
2. ^ "CeCe Winans Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
3. ^ "CeCe Winans Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
4. ^ "CeCe Winans Chart History (Top Gospel Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
5. ^ "CeCe Winans Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
6. ^ "American album certifications – CeCe Winans – Alabaster Box". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 5, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

CeCe Winans

Discography|

* Solo
* with BeBe Winans

Studio albums|

* Alabaster Box
* CeCe Winans
* Throne Room
* Purified
* Thy Kingdom Come
* Let Them Fall in Love

Live albums|

* Believe for It

Singles|

* "Count On Me"
* "Waging War"
* "Never Lost"
* "Believe for It"
* "I've Got Joy"

Other songs|

* "Goodness of God"

Related articles|

* BeBe Winans
* Winans family
* PureSprings Gospel
* BeBe & CeCe Winans
* Melinda Doolittle
* The PTL Club

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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