There’s cause for celebration, Gospel music fans. Ron Winans is finally back! And with his long-awaited return, we, the music fans are infinitely blessed.  After a seven-year, self-imposed absence from the public eye, the Motown native and member of Gospel music’s most heralded family has returned to the forefront with perhaps his finest recording to date. 

Ron Winans Family & Friends V: A Celebration (Entheos) continues the rich tradition of orchestrating an elite cast of Detroit’s singers, writers and musicians first established nearly sixteen years ago by an album which first propelled Ron into the limelight – Ron Winans Family & Friends Choir (Selah) – an album which many of his siblings (Marvin, BeBe, CeCe, Angelique) and dearest friends (Donnie McClurkin, Mark Freeman, Clifton Jones, Kimberly Clifton) would lend their blossoming talents and gifts towards.

Ron Winans Family & Friends II, III & IV (Selah) would build on this foundation he first established, which involved showcasing many of Detroit’s talented songwriters, musicians and psalmists for the world to enjoy.  Classic songs such as Who Would Have Thought, No Weapon and Stand were all first recorded among Family & Friends.  Celebrities like Karen Clark Sheard, Vickie Winans, Dorinda Clark Cole and Debbie Winans sowed seeds into Ron Winans’ ministry.  Elite musicians such as Steven Ford, Michael Brooks and Darius Brooks each enriched the instrumentation.  Extraordinary melody-makers and lyricists such as Percy Bady, Dana Davis and Pastor McClurkin brought their best compositions to the table.  

Many of today’s well known artists such as Deitrick Haddon, Kayla Parker and Jesse Campbell were all making contributions to the Family & Friends series. The result of bringing this collection of Christ-centered worshippers together was simply magical.  The Family & Friends series would rank among the most cherished and anticipated live recordings of the late 80’s and 90’s.  In fact, only Walter Hawkins Love Alive Series would compare, in terms of marquee artists, memorable selections and an identifiable album title brand.

On Ron Winans Family & Friends V: A Celebration, all the familiar ingredients are reintroduced to produce the ultimate audible experience for the music fan.  Stellar names (Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Rance Allen, Gladys Knight, The Katinas), extraordinary musicians and masterful songwriters join together to create a musical celebration that runs with the theme of Life…abundant and good…to all who believe in God’s promises.

If worship is what your soul yearns for, Vanessa Bell Armstrong draws you to the altar on her heartfelt rendition of Salvation Is Free, a selection bent on reminding the listener that although we live in a material world, Salvation remains free for everyone.  Vanessa reclaims her title as ‘Miss Lady Soul’ on this sacred number…a song so soaked with the anointing, you’re likely to break out in uncontrollable praise by the eight-minute mark. 

Worship is a common thread that runs throughout this delightful album.  Selections like Holy Is The Lamb is corporate worship personified in melody, while the familiar My Help featuring CeCe and Ron Winans and the anthem Signs Of The Times ,featuring Gwen Morton ushers in such a spirit of sanctified homage and anointed praise only emissaries of the Word could garner. 

BeBe Winans is also contrite on the well-known Safe In His Arms.  But perhaps the most moving song on this superior CD is Ron Winans’ I Shall Not Die But Live which is an emotional poetic, melodic testimony by Winans on his sudden death and inexplicable resurrection he underwent back in ’97 and still celebrates to this day.

The album is filled with musical gems like the emphatic Jesse Campbell on Standing Here and the adorable ballad by The Katinas – My Fathers House.  Marvin Winans and soul legend Gladys Knight do a little tango together on an adorable selection entitled, Surely I Do.  However, most listeners of Family & Friends V will draw inspiration and glorious gratification from the song, I Made A Promise which features a powerhouse cast of vocal bravado in Shawn McLemore, Marcus Cole (Commissioned), Agee Smith, Ron Winans and an icon to so many – Rev. Rance Allen.  The sheer lyrical and Gospel content on this song is simply off the proverbial charts.

Ron Winans Family & Friends V: A Celebration ushers in a year of great promise and excitement for Gospel music in 2005.  The album is a phenomenal achievement in exceptional artistry, individual showmanship and corporate worship.  In addition, the album also demonstrates that Ron Winans is really back and believably better than ever.  We can only hope that Family & Friends VI is on the horizon, with a set date and a cast of Motown’s best and brightest prospects lined up around the block, ready to bring their church-best to the centerstage.