Cece Winans Grammy win is a testimony of God’s faithfulness beyond age

At the 2026 Grammy Awards on 1st February 2026, gospel singer CeCe Winans joined the top three most decorated females of the music awards ceremony. Her song, featuring Shirley Caesar titled Come Jesus Come won Best Gospel Performance/Song, tying her with the late Aretha Franklin with 18 Grammys altogether. At 61-years-old, CeCe’s historic win makes her the most decorated female gospel singer in history. Pastor Shirley Caesar, who has been widely recognised as “The First Lady of Gospel Music” is also featured on the song, at 87-years-old. This joint win demonstrates God’s faithfulness to his children regardless of their age.

The entertainment industry is one well-known for ageism often prioritising young talent and youthful appearance. 

The entertainment industry is one well-known for ageism by prioritising young talent and youthful appearance. Celebrities often speak about how they sometimes feel discarded when their moment of fame seems to dry up or as they age. That’s why CeCe and Shirley’s win is a reminder and encouragement of God’s faithfulness beyond age, gender and what society may say. Your gift will make room for you when God allows it to, regardless of what the world says (Proverbs 18:16).

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CeCe won her first Grammy in 1987 when in the group, Bebe and CeCe, with her brother for the song For Always. Hailing from Detroit, Cece made the decision to launch her solo career in 1995 with her album Alone In His Presence which she also won a Grammy for in the Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album category.

Hailing from North Carolina, Shirley Caesar also has a lengthy career and has an impressive record of 12 Grammys with her first being in 1971 for the song Put Your Hand In The Hand Of The Man From Galilee. CeCe has previously spoken about her gratitude to sing with Shirley Caesar on Come Jesus Come: “It is an absolute honour to sing alongside the incomparable Shirley Caesar. Her voice, her spirit, and her unwavering faith have impacted gospel music and the world for generations. Come Jesus Come is a song that speaks to the times we’re living in … I pray it blesses everyone who hears it.”

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With so much unrest globally, Come Jesus Come offers much needed hope to look towards a time when Jesus will come back and restore peace for his people

With so much unrest globally, Come Jesus Come offers much needed hope to look towards a time when Jesus will come back and restore peace for his people. A song like this with two living legends in their own right makes the song even more special. But although Cece has won awards for her gospel contributions, she has by no means hid away from secular stages with her music, both when in and outside her group, reaching a large mainstream audience. CeCe has publicly spoken about her close friendship with the late Whitney Houston and how she had to reject some opportunities in light of her Christian convictions. For example, CeCe declined to appear in the I’m Every Woman music video with Houston due to the lyrics she believed to be talking about witchcraft.

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Whilst the world may dismiss age, the Bible sees it as something to be respected - a crown of blessing, as opposed to a limitation to be pitied. For example, Leviticus 19:32 reads: “Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God.”

And although the world may sometimes show favouritism towards those who are younger, God looks beyond the outside appearance and can reward you regardless of what the world may say, as we see in Acts 10:34, God doesn’t have favourites.

I am glad that CeCe and Shirley are being publicly honoured and rewarded for their faithfulness to God and stewarding their gifts well as they age gracefully. May it long continue, God willing.