Deep Groove Encyclopedia

Cece Peniston

Cece Peniston is the unfortunate poster chlid for the perils that singers can encounter when they leave the hardcore dance audience behind for the allegedly greener pastures of r&b. Peniston's career was kick started in 1992 with "Finally" and "We Got A Love Thang," major hits produced by Steve Hurley.

But like many frustrated house vocalists, her dream was to become an r&b diva. On her next albums, dance music was given short shrift while Cece set about transforming herself into Whitney Houston. She even got into a heated devate at the Billboard dance summit when she complained that singers shouldn't be limited to house music. That sounds like a logical argument, until you consider that the main reason someone like Peniston was placed in a position where she could cross over was the emphatic support of the house music community.

She had to learn her lesson the hard way. After her soul career flopped and she was dropped by her label, she came back to Hurley for some more house singles that were her biggest hits in years.

Cece Peniston's Deepest Grooves

Finally (A&M, 1992)

Thought Ya Knew (A&M, 1994)

I'm Moving On (A&M, 1996)

"Nobody Else" (Silk, 1999)

"He Luvs Me 2" (Silk, 1999)

The Millennium Collection (A&M, 2001)

"Lifetime to Love" (4 Play, 2001)