Juan Winans and Sister Deborah Joy Winans Duet on ‘Never On My Own’

“Never On My Own” is a follow-up to Juan Winans‘ #1 Billboard hit, “It Belongs To Me,” with his wife, Lisa Winans, featuring his uncle, Marvin L. Winans. The song previews Juan’s upcoming album, “Legacy,” which Juan explains, “references the musical legacy I’ve inherited and hope to build upon. It is equally about my legacy as a Black man in America.”

Juan and Deborah Joy previously starred together as BeBe and CeCe Winans, in the 2019 stage musical Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story. Deborah Joy Winans is best known for her role as Charity Greenleaf-Satterlee on the hit drama series, Greenleaf.

UB recently spoke with Deborah Joy in support of her TV One film “Don’t Waste Your Pretty.” We also took the time to ask about her family legacy. “What I am grateful is for the impact my family has had on the music industry.” She went on to say; “I learn so much more of that, on a daily basis. Every time I go somewhere or I meet someone, it’s always this song by your dad, or this song by your uncle or your aunts…really touched me and changed my life. Just the music impacted them for the better. So there are no downs when it comes to that, because everything you do you want it to touch someone in some way. That’s why we’re here, so to know that they’ve been able to do that for so long…makes me very happy, because that is what I want to do!”

UB spoke with Juan for the release of his #1 single “It Belongs To Me” and asked him then, what does it mean to represent the Winans in music? “It’s a privilege, it really is. It’s something I don’t think I’ve ever taken for granted. Yet the older I get the more appreciation I have for it. I have a better understanding of the sacrifices that they made, to allow God to make them who they are.” He went on to say; “I understand the excellence of their music. So that’s a standard that we are trying to carry and expand, in areas that we can. If God will give us the grace to do that, we will consider it an honor. It’s great to have uncle Marvin on a song because in many ways it feels like a uplifting of what we’re doing. So that is important to us, to talk about legacy. To have the person who’s basically the patriarch of our family be on the song and essentially give us his blessing.”

The new single is a danceable testimony that will engage fans of old-school R&B. The track also features a chorus throwback to “On My Own,” the 1986 Patti LaBelle/Michael McDonald hit. “It’s a song we grew up loving and listening to,” stated Juan. “I am grateful to the original writers, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, for allowing me to do that.”

“She possesses that incredibly rich tone and texture that is consistent amongst the women in the Winans family,” he states of his sister, adding, “‘Never On My Own’ attests to the security and peace we can derive from knowing that God never leaves us. It is also the perfect song because it is an accurate description of our relationship.”

“I never saw myself as a singer until working with Juan in the musical ‘Born For This,’” stated Deborah Joy. “He helped me find my voice. He is an amazing singer/songwriter, but an even better brother.”