Peabo Bryson, Grammy-Winning Singer of Disney Classics, Dies at 75

Vocalist and R&B icon Peabo Bryson has died at the age of 75. According to Deadline, the singer had suffered a stroke a few days before his passing.

Bryson is best known to film and musical theatre fans for his work in Grammy-winning duets from Disney animated films: 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast”, a duet with Celine Dion which topped the pop charts, and with Regina Belle on “A Whole New World” from Aladdin.

Additionally, Bryson has worked with Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga on “We Kiss in the Shadows” and starred on stage in the lead role of “Raisin,” as The Wizard in “The Wiz”. He was also was featured in the Michigan Opera’s 100th anniversary production of “Porgy & Bess.”

“We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world,” Bryson’s family shared, in a statement to People. “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.”

Peabo Bryson got his start as the lead singer of Al Freeman & The Upsetters and Moses Dillard & The Tex-Town Display. In 1976, he released his debut LP, Peabo, on Atlanta’s Bullet/Bang label.  

Bryson had back-to-back gold albums with Capitol Records, Reaching for the Sky (1977) and Crosswinds (1978). During his relationship with Capitol, Bryson collaborated with label mate and friend Natalie Cole for the 1979 project We’re the Best of Friends. A year later he worked with the phenomenal Roberta Flack for the double-LP Live & More (on Atlantic Records).

Bryson delivered four more albums for Capitol before making a second, even bigger album with Ms. Flack titled Born to Love, a gold seller that featured the smash “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” (Top 5 R&B and #16 Pop chart). Peabo soon moved over to Elektra Records for four albums, the second of which, Take No Prisoners featured the crossover smash “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” (Top 10 Pop and R&B). 

A return to Capitol in 1989 for the one-off album All My Love, earned Bryson his first R&B #1 single with a remake of the late Al Wilson’s “Show & Tell”. He hit the top of the R&B charts a second time with the smash “Can You Stop The Rain”, the title track of one of his two chart-topping albums with Columbia Records.