Only 2000 Seats. More than 2 million memories. On 4/15/2009 David “Pop” Winans Sr. was laid to rest in a service held at son Bishop Marvin Winans Perfecting Church on Detroit’s east side. The service incompassed musical tributes from his children, Donnie McClurkin, Karen Clark Sheard, and Tremaine Hawkins.

(The Rev. Marvin Winans is emotional after viewing his father’s body at the start of the service.)

Delores “Mom” Winans matriach of the Winans family and wife of 55yrs closely followed in procession behind Jackson, escorted by sons BeBe “Benjamin” Winans and David Winans Jr. CeCe Winans Love, the oldest daughter said, “I thank God for my father. I thank him for being such a good example for all of us.” 

 The program was creatively designed as a passport with the monogram DW for David Winans. The program was affectionately stamped “Passport KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”. Inside of the passport was a train ticket marked, “This Train, Earth to Heaven.” (First picture shown at top of story)

The service was filled with song, laughter, spirit filled tear jerking moments and eyewitness accounts of the Life, Legacy and Love that Pop Winans (also a gospel singer) shared with his wife and 10 children. The service commenced with a procession of approximately 100 family members and close friends who were mostly dressed in White or Creme. Video footage of Pop Winans singing “This Train”. opened the service. 

The procession was lead by acclaimed civil rights leader Jesse Jackson Sr. who said this of Winans :“Pop was part of that glorious tradition of powerful singers. Those were tall trees. Pop planted a forest” referring to the era that Singing Generals including Pop Winans, Sam Cooke, James Cleveland and Rev. C.L. Franklin are apart of.

(Donnie McClurkin, left and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. lead the Winans family during funeral and home-going celebrations for David (Pop) Winans Sr. (ANDRE J. JACKSON/DFP))

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Something has to be said for the couple who can globe trot, sell out concerts, and still keep God and family first. She spawns from an R&B beginning making us “Weak” with her saucy Soprano. He is a master of his craft, known as a hit maker, and current percussionist for Israel and New Breed, Big Mike and Coko Clemons.

 This Diva’s Myspace page tells it all, her Display name is “Coko is the Drummer’s Wife”! Big Mike has pics of Coko all in his Myspace page- and on facebook… well lets just say there’s no mistaking the fact that they are each other’s No# 1 FAN!

 Coko whose successful Gospel debut album topped the charts is back in the studio again working on a hot new album “The Winner in Me” with guest appearances from Israel Houghton, Canton Jones, and her mother Lady Tibba.

For more info on our girl check out www.cokosplace.com for tour dates or www.myspace.com/cokoclemons .

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  We pay homage here at the OC to the Rev. Timothy Wright. The Grammy nominated artist, Pastor and founderof Grace Tabernacle Christian Center in Crown Heights Brooklyn died at age61, nine months after a devastating car crash that left him paralyzed,suffering from broken ribs, a broken jabone, severe spinal cord injuries,and multiple fractures in his legs.The Wrights were returning to the city from a church conference in Detroit when a drunken driver going the wrong way on a Pennsylvania highway hit their car head-on. Wright lost his wife Pastor Betty Wright and Grandson during this time.Despite his critical injuries, Wright regularly traveled from his New Jersey rehabilitation clinic to Crown Heights to attend services at the church he started over 18 years ago. “I lost my wife; I lost my grandson, and for some reason, God left me here,” Wright told WCBS-TV last October. “So hereI am.”

Over the course of his singing career, Wright released morethan a dozen gospel albums. His 1994 record, ”Come Thou Almighty King,” cracked the Billboard Top 20 charts was and was nominated for a Grammy. Reared in the infamous Bedford-Stuyversant projects, Wright began playing piano for his local church at age12. The musician began composing songs when he was a teenager. “He brought people together in worship, in music and in fellowship,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg was reported as saying. “He was a great New Yorker anda great American who served our country in uniform and dedicated his life to helping others.” Governor Patterson’s office released a statement saying Wright “was a pillar to his community, rousing from the pulpit and a true representative of the bold spirit that continues to make New York great.”  Wright is survived by five sons: Danny, 39; Donny, 34; David, 30; Derrick, 28, and Dwayne, 26.

Wright’s sons attended the 24th Annual Stellar Awards on January 17th of this year where they received an honorary Stellar Award for their father’s Outstanding Acheivements. Below is the entire 2009 Stellar tribute preformed by Kirk Franklin, Myrna Summer and Milton Bingham.