Usually working as a duet act with his sister CeCe or working the background on releases by the Winans (four of his older brothers), BeBe Winans released his first solo album in October 1997. It did very well on gospel charts, and even made an impact on the secular charts. He followed it with 2000's Love & Freedom. The concert album Live and Up Close appeared in 2002, and then the holiday collection My Christmas Prayer in 2003.