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Interview With BeBe Winans

Aired December 09, 2003 - 15:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Great to have you here.
BEBE WINANS, SINGER: Thank you. Good to be here.

PHILLIPS: So we're just going to take it down a notch and relax. And I want you to tell me about this trip that you took overseas to the Middle East, because that is going to lead us into to what we are going to want to talk about.

WINANS: Yes.

A friend of name Lari White called me and asked me to go with her overseas. She didn't tell me where we were going. And I said yes and find out -- long story short -- we were going to sing for the troops in the Middle East. I got a little nervous, honestly. It was an experience that I thought I was prepared for, but really was unprepared.

I didn't know I was to sleep next to my bed with a gas mask and to live the type of life that they've live now since we've been at war. So it was an honor to give of myself very unselfishly to a group of people who have put their lives on the line for our freedom and so on.

And so, to come back home, I was watching the news, which I watch -- I have to say that I'm a big fan of yours. I don't know about Miles, but I'm a good fan of yours, Kyra.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Well, you know what? It's mutual, all right? I've been loving your music for years.

WINANS: OK. All right. I just wanted to get that straight.

PHILLIPS: We've got a love-fest going on.

WINANS: We've got a love thing going on.

(LAUGHTER)

WINANS: So I was watching you all.

But I thought about the families that were going to have a different Christmas, because of the loved ones that are still over there, or the loved ones that have lost their lives. And the Christmas prayer just dropped into my heart and I just started singing right away as I was watching television, and: "I pray that love will rule and reign. And I pray that time will ease the pain and rid the pain of this world, as we learn to trust and care. This is my Christmas prayer."

And, after writing it, I sat there and I wept. And people who have heard it, such as Oprah and others, it's just a song for the times that we live in for people all over the world.

PHILLIPS: BeBe, let's listen to that. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WINANS (singing): I pray that love will rule and reign. And I pray that time will ease the pain and rid the pain of this world, as we learn to trust and care. This is my Christmas prayer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: It's so easy to get caught up in our lives, whether it be in the news business, the entertainment business.

WINANS: Right.

PHILLIPS: We have so much. And then you go overseas. You had the chance to go. I was lucky enough to go over there, too, and get to see what's happening and how they're fighting for our freedom.

You said it was the most unselfish thing you ever did. How has it changed your mind about...

WINANS: One thing I will never forget, it was one of the last places Kuwait where we sung. This young man came up to me, around 17, 18 years old. And he said, BeBe, will you do me a favor? And I said, sure.

He said, don't read this now, but read this when you get home. And it was a piece of paper he put in my hand. And I got home. I opened the piece of paper up. And he said, could you do me a favor? Can you call my mother? And he had the telephone number. He said, just tell her you saw me. I'm her only son and she will be so glad to know I'm doing OK.

It just -- it changed me forever. And I called his mother, told her who I was and her son was OK. But I think about him all the time, not knowing where he is or what he's doing. But I think about him all the time. So It's something that I will remember for the rest of my life.

PHILLIPS: A lot of the troops watch this newscast.

So, maybe as we head to break, why don't you...

WINANS: Ah.

PHILLIPS: You feel like giving a little something?

WINANS: Oh, I will. I mean, there's a song on the album. But I'll just go to the Christmas spirit.

(singing): I pray for your peace, blessings and honor. Heaven riders (ph), despair. This is my Christmas prayer.

PHILLIPS: BeBe Winans. You got to get that new C.D. And he's coming out with a movie, too.

Thank you so much.

WINANS: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: What a blessing.

WINANS: Merry Christmas to you.

PHILLIPS: We appreciate it. All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 9, 2003 - 15:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Great to have you here.
BEBE WINANS, SINGER: Thank you. Good to be here.

PHILLIPS: So we're just going to take it down a notch and relax. And I want you to tell me about this trip that you took overseas to the Middle East, because that is going to lead us into to what we are going to want to talk about.

WINANS: Yes.

A friend of name Lari White called me and asked me to go with her overseas. She didn't tell me where we were going. And I said yes and find out -- long story short -- we were going to sing for the troops in the Middle East. I got a little nervous, honestly. It was an experience that I thought I was prepared for, but really was unprepared.

I didn't know I was to sleep next to my bed with a gas mask and to live the type of life that they've live now since we've been at war. So it was an honor to give of myself very unselfishly to a group of people who have put their lives on the line for our freedom and so on.

And so, to come back home, I was watching the news, which I watch -- I have to say that I'm a big fan of yours. I don't know about Miles, but I'm a good fan of yours, Kyra.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Well, you know what? It's mutual, all right? I've been loving your music for years.

WINANS: OK. All right. I just wanted to get that straight.

PHILLIPS: We've got a love-fest going on.

WINANS: We've got a love thing going on.

(LAUGHTER)

WINANS: So I was watching you all.

But I thought about the families that were going to have a different Christmas, because of the loved ones that are still over there, or the loved ones that have lost their lives. And the Christmas prayer just dropped into my heart and I just started singing right away as I was watching television, and: "I pray that love will rule and reign. And I pray that time will ease the pain and rid the pain of this world, as we learn to trust and care. This is my Christmas prayer."

And, after writing it, I sat there and I wept. And people who have heard it, such as Oprah and others, it's just a song for the times that we live in for people all over the world.

PHILLIPS: BeBe, let's listen to that. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WINANS (singing): I pray that love will rule and reign. And I pray that time will ease the pain and rid the pain of this world, as we learn to trust and care. This is my Christmas prayer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: It's so easy to get caught up in our lives, whether it be in the news business, the entertainment business.

WINANS: Right.

PHILLIPS: We have so much. And then you go overseas. You had the chance to go. I was lucky enough to go over there, too, and get to see what's happening and how they're fighting for our freedom.

You said it was the most unselfish thing you ever did. How has it changed your mind about...

WINANS: One thing I will never forget, it was one of the last places Kuwait where we sung. This young man came up to me, around 17, 18 years old. And he said, BeBe, will you do me a favor? And I said, sure.

He said, don't read this now, but read this when you get home. And it was a piece of paper he put in my hand. And I got home. I opened the piece of paper up. And he said, could you do me a favor? Can you call my mother? And he had the telephone number. He said, just tell her you saw me. I'm her only son and she will be so glad to know I'm doing OK.

It just -- it changed me forever. And I called his mother, told her who I was and her son was OK. But I think about him all the time, not knowing where he is or what he's doing. But I think about him all the time. So It's something that I will remember for the rest of my life.

PHILLIPS: A lot of the troops watch this newscast.

So, maybe as we head to break, why don't you...

WINANS: Ah.

PHILLIPS: You feel like giving a little something?

WINANS: Oh, I will. I mean, there's a song on the album. But I'll just go to the Christmas spirit.

(singing): I pray for your peace, blessings and honor. Heaven riders (ph), despair. This is my Christmas prayer.

PHILLIPS: BeBe Winans. You got to get that new C.D. And he's coming out with a movie, too.

Thank you so much.

WINANS: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: What a blessing.

WINANS: Merry Christmas to you.

PHILLIPS: We appreciate it. All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com