Vickie Winans is the hardest working woman in Gospel music. Like her, love her – you know her, and you know her by her works!

In her Verity Records debut Bringing It All Together, Vickie pulls out all the stops and spares no extras. And as the many who love her can testify, God avails himself in the details.

No matter what she’s doing, the energy level is always off the monitor. On “Shake Yourself Loose”, LaDell Abram lays down the drum track in as heated a manner as he plays. Tim Bowman strums the guitar lead. They join with a BGV corps that includes the likes of Pam and Dodi, Derrick Starks and Today’s Generation and Antun Foster and Chemistry, to make this encourager most memorable.

Mario Winans kicks the remix that unimaginably kicks it up yet another notch.

She addresses social issues from a biblical perspective with “I Promise”, co-penned by producer partner and son, Marvin Winans, Jr., who is joined this time by Brent Jones. No subject too ominous to handle, Winans not only addresses committing to abstinence, but re-committing if you’ve already fallen short. Stacking her own background vocals adds to focusing on the rich unadulterated vocals that we’ve come to know as hers.

A child wonders about the topic of death on “Where You Are”. Here Winans explores and answers from a Christian perspective, with lyrics laid in a delicate melody that features her clear voice alongside guitar flow from Jeff Lee Johnson.

The real and metaphorical ode, “Superman”, highlights the writing team of Marvin Winans, Jr. and Lance Bennett, who also get together on the hook-driven “Shook —Rated 'E' For Everybody” —a testimonial that is both a tongue-twister and a spelling test.

Turning the volume down without losing the intensity, “Shook” takes on a notable sho’ nuff mid-tempo grooveness on the FSJ (family slow jam) version. It morphs yet again into a dance jam in the Rated K (for kids) take.

Thomas Whitfield’s “We Need A Word From The Lord”, though done many times over, appears as powerfully as ever. Winans shares its special meaning to her and how the He always comes through with a word of ultimate truth to cut through present circumstances.

Bringing It All Together

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In true Vickie Winans fashion, she brings forth a classic and elevates its meaning. “Happy And You Know It” —yes, as in “clap your hands”! In her love and excitement for saints of all ages, Winans reminds us that kids love Jesus too, and reaches out to them in their way. A rousing intro vocal exchange with Timmy Bowman highlights.

She takes it a step further with the track “Kids Love Jesus Too” that features the exhortation of a young Mario Winans II, who declares “Hallelujah!”, indeed in his own way. Twelve-year old Aaron Fuller works it out on the intro to the jam “Amazing Grace Dance”.

“Hasta La Vista” reaches out internationally with Spanish vocal intro by Magola Venez. This track with special ethnic flair adds Michael Winans, Jr. to the Bennett/Winans team.

Winans, much like the way she does business and works the crowd, covers a lot of ground on Bringing it all Together. She does so, surely and solidly. In a constant reinvention and reestablishing of herself she just takes territory and moves on to conquer the next thing. She does a lot and does it well and then importantly doesn’t overlook the small things that make the difference.

And indeed, God is in the details.



Three songs snips from Vickie Winans's album are available as RealAudio downloads. If you don't have RealAudio, be sure to obtain your free RealAudio player software first, by clicking on the blue RealAudio icon on the right.

To download the song snips, simply click on the highlighted text below, let stream on RealAudio, and enjoy.

• "Shook Rated FSJ"
  
  
• "Shake Yourself Loose"
  
  
• "Happy And You Know It"