Peabo Bryson, the powerhouse soul singer whose unforgettable voice helped turn Disney love songs into global classics, has died at the age of 75.
Bryson died Tuesday, June 2, surrounded by his family, just days after suffering a stroke.
His family confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement, saying they had been deeply touched by the love pouring in from fans, friends and fellow artists around the world.
“We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world,” the family said. “While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing how deeply Peabo was loved and how many lives were touched by his voice and his generous spirit. His legacy and music will live on for generations to come.”
Bryson became one of the most recognizable voices of romantic soul music, building a career filled with sweeping ballads, unforgettable duets and songs that became part of movie history.
For millions of fans, his voice will always be tied to two Disney classics.
In 1991, Bryson teamed up with Céline Dion for “Beauty and the Beast,” the title song from the animated film. The duet became a massive hit, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning a Grammy.
A year later, Bryson joined Regina Belle for “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. That song made history when it became the first song from an animated film to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Bryson and Belle also won a Grammy for the beloved duet.
Born Robert Peapo Bryson in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1951, Bryson knew early that music was his calling.
“As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been into music,” he told Soul magazine in 1978. “It’s all I ever wanted to really deal with.”
He said he briefly thought about becoming a doctor, but by the time he was around 14, he knew music was the path he wanted to follow. His mother, however, was not immediately convinced.
“She figured I’d turn into a drug addict or something like that!” Bryson once said.
Bryson began performing professionally as a teenager, singing backup with a local group called Al Freeman and the Upsetters. He later joked that the group was “terrible,” but the experience helped launch his career.
Freeman reportedly had trouble pronouncing Bryson’s birth name, Peapo, and the singer soon began using the name Peabo instead.
After touring the Chitlin’ Circuit with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display, Bryson caught the attention of Bang Records. He released his first album, Peabo, in 1976 before moving to Capitol Records.
His first Top 10 hit on the R&B chart came in 1978 with “Reaching for the Sky.”
From there, Bryson became known as one of the great duet singers of his generation. In 1979, he teamed with Natalie Cole for “Gimme Some Time,” which reached No. 8 on the R&B chart. They later released “What You Won’t Do for Love.”
He also found success with Roberta Flack, beginning with their 1980 duet “Make the World Stand Still.” The two went on to release several songs together, including “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” which became one of Bryson’s signature romantic hits.
Bryson later said that the key to a great duet was emotional connection.
“I think the secret to a really good duet is that you have to fall a little bit in love with your duet partner,” he told Tatler Asia in 2015.
He credited Flack with teaching him how to truly perform a duet.
“I learned how to do a great duet from working with Roberta Flack because she’s that great,” he said.
In 1984, Bryson scored his first Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 with “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again.” He later topped the R&B chart with “Show & Tell” in 1989 and “Can You Stop the Rain” in 1991.
But his Disney era made him a household name for a new generation.
Bryson once said that when he recorded “Beauty and the Beast” with Céline Dion, the two slowly built a trust in the studio that created something magical.
“I looked across at her, and she looked back at me and what went on from the point of becoming relaxed was extremely intimate,” he told CBC in 2017. “You can’t buy that. You can record it, though.”
He said he never got tired of hearing the song.
Disney returned to Bryson again for “A Whole New World,” pairing him with Regina Belle for another timeless hit.
Bryson described the song as representing “every hope and every promise that you will ever have.”
Across his decades-long career, Bryson released 20 studio albums and earned eight Grammy nominations. He became known not only for his voice, but for his ability to make a duet feel like a full love story in just a few minutes.
Bryson also spoke openly at times about feeling frustrated with a music industry that often favored youth over experience. He once said he did not want to be boxed in.
“I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1994. “I see myself as a true Renaissance man. I don’t like one-dimensional concepts of myself.”
Bryson suffered a heart attack in 2019 but later made a full recovery.
He welcomed daughter Linda in 1968. In 2010, he married Tanya Boniface, a former member of the British girl group The 411. The couple welcomed a son, Robert, in 2018.
Bryson is survived by his wife and children.