CeCe’s first single, “Finally”, thrust her into the international spotlight and she has continued her success ever since. She is the girl that was born in Dayton, OH, and spent her formative years in Phoenix, AZ. She has had her presence and voice requested personally by Aretha Franklin for Aretha's private birthday party in Detroit, Pope John Paul II in Rome at The Vatican, and the country of South Africa to be historically the first female entertainer to visit and perform after the abolition of apartheid, before fellow recording artist Whitney Houston.
CeCe began her recording career, after she graduated from Phoenix College, at A&M Records with her debut album, Finally, selling one million plus copies and achieving U.S. RIAA GOLD certification. Her first single, “Finally”, achieved Billboard #1 Pop chart status and has sold multi-platinum worldwide, in addition to being featured on more than thirty compilation albums.
CeCe thrust passed the one-hit wonder mark and continued to achieve Billboard Top Ten Pop chart status with singles including: "We Got A Love Thang", "Keep On Walkin", “I'm Not Over You" and "Lifetime To Love.” All of her singles released have achieved Top 40 Pop status including: "Inside That I Cried", "Crazy Love", "I'm In The Mood", "Hit By Love", "Movin' On", "Before I Lay (You Drive Me Crazy)" with MCA recording artist JoJo of KC & JoJo, "I Know That He Loves Me Too" and "Nobody Else.”
CeCe has continued to travel non-stop by promoting her albums Thought Ya Knew, I’m Movin' On, Gospel compilation The Sisters of Glory “Good News In Hard Times (with Thelma Houston, Pheobe Snow, Lois Walden and Albertina Walker) and touring to sold-out venues domestically and internationally in the Philippines, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Korea, Australia, South Africa and Italy. CeCe has made Twelve music videos, contributed her voice to numerous motion picture box-office hit soundtracks, allowed The Oprah Winfrey Show to utilize two of her hits, performed live for the NBA, WNBA, and NFL, appeared in thousands of publications, loaned her hit single "Finally" to the Summer Olympics 2000 Closing Ceremony in Australia and made numerous guest appearances on: Regis & Kathy Lee, Rosie O'Donnell, Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, BET with Donnie Simpson, Ricki Lake, MTV, ShowTime At The Apollo, The Wendy Williams Show, The Mo’Nique Show and VH1.
CeCe has toured with Grace Jones, Peabo Bryson, Tasha Scott & Tony Terry in The WIZ performing throughout the U.S., in addition to performing in successful runs of both Treat Her Like A Lady and When A Woman Is Fed Up. CeCe has also been requested personally by former President Bill Clinton to perform at both of his Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and by Mrs. Hillary Clinton for her political achievement.
In the midst of such overwhelming success, CeCe has also been bestowed numerous awards including: Billboard Best New Artist and Best New Song of The Year; ASCAP Song of The Year, Pop Songwriter of The Year, and Most Performed Song of The Year; Annual Winter Music Conference's Best New Dance Artist, Best Dance Artist Solo, and Best 12" Dance Record; BMI Urban Award of Achievement; Governor's Key to The State of Arizona for being a role model and for achievement; and CeCe was inducted into the Phoenix College Hall of Fame. CeCe also has been a member of ASCAP since 1991 and has been successfully running her own production and publishing companies for many years.
CeCe makes time for a true passion in her life, too, her charitable work. CeCe founded the CeCe Peniston Youth Foundation in 1997 and has helped to raise funding for many other organizations involving particularly HIV/AIDS, women and children in need, hunger and equality. She has blazed a track on jazz artist, Jeff Larbes' album and two Phoenix Merry Christmas Arizona albums, with proceeds going to Multiple Sclerosis. She had been requested to perform for U.S. troops on the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1993 and has continued each year since to travel to entertain the U.S. troops overseas.
CeCe Peniston has just begun to make her mark on the world. She has established herself as one of the paramount artists of the nineties and the new century. However, CeCe still has stayed true to herself while fueling the deep passion for her artistry. Just watch this talent extraordinaire keep the world fired up and jumpin' for more and more!