“Pop” Winans Dies at 74

David “Pop” Winans Sr., patriarch of the award-winning gospel music family, died Wednesday in a Nashville, Tennessee, hospice. He died at age 74 after suffering a heart attack and stroke in October.

He was the father of platinum-selling gospel duo BeBe and CeCe Winans and the Grammy-winning quartet The Winans–comprised of sons Michael, Marvin, Carvin and Ronald. But in recent years Pop Winans had established his own recording career, earning a Grammy nomination for his 1999 solo project, Uncensored.

Winans also recorded two projects with his wife, Delores: Grammy-nominated Mom & Pop Winans in 1989 and The Rest of My Life in 1991. Delores “Mom” Winans was at her husband’s bedside when he died.

In recent years, Mom and Pop Winans ministered at Benny Hinn crusades and were frequent guests on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Praise the Lord program. They were on the cover of Charisma in March 1991.

Born on April 20, 1934,in Detroit, Pop Winans grew up in his grandfather’s church, Mack Avenue Church of God in Christ, and began singing with the Nobelaires quartet group at age 18. In 1950 he began playing the saxophone and clarinet with the Lemon Gospel Chorus, where he met Delores, who sang in the ensemble.

The couple married in 1953, and Winans worked as a car salesman, taxi driver, custodian and barber to support the couple’s 10 children. He also began preaching in the late 1960s and launched a youth program in 1968.

Through his odd jobs, Winans raised enough money to finance The Winans’ first album, and acted as his sons’ manager for a while. Other Winans children including Daniel Winans, and Angie and Debbie Winans, have also enjoyed successful music careers. Son Ron Winans died in 2005.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Winans family said they wished ” to thank everyone for their prayers and continued support, but would appreciate privacy at this time.”

Funeral services are to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday at Perfecting Church in Detroit, where Winans’ son, Marvin Winans, is the senior pastor.