Peabo Bryson, the two-time Grammy Award winner whose voice defined some of the most successful Disney songs of the modern era and who built a four-decade career as one of R&B’s most enduring balladeers, has died aged 75.
Peabo Bryson, the Grammy Award-winning singer known for Disney classics ‘Beauty And The Beast’ and ‘A Whole New World’, as well as R&B standards including ‘If Ever You’re In My Arms Again’, ‘Can You Stop The Rain’ and ‘Tonight, I Celebrate My Love’, has died at the age of 75. Bryson passed away on June 2, 2026, in Marietta, Georgia, three days after suffering a stroke. His family confirmed he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
by Paul Cashmere
The death marks the end of one of the most distinctive careers in contemporary soul music. While many artists achieved success in either R&B or mainstream pop, Bryson crossed both worlds, becoming a staple of adult contemporary radio while maintaining credibility within the R&B community. For many listeners, his legacy became permanently linked to Disney’s renaissance era of animated films in the 1990s, where his duet performances introduced his voice to a global audience far beyond traditional soul music circles.
In a statement released following his death, Bryson’s family said: “We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world.”
The statement continued: “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.”
Born Robert Peapo Bryson on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina, he began performing professionally as a teenager. His stage name emerged after local bandleader Al Freeman struggled to pronounce his middle name, Peapo, a nickname that remained with him throughout his career.
After working as a songwriter, arranger and producer for Bang Records during the early 1970s, Bryson launched his solo recording career with the album Peabo in 1976. His breakthrough arrived after signing with Capitol Records, where albums including Reaching For The Sky and Crosswinds established him as one of the leading male vocalists in contemporary R&B.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Bryson delivered a string of successful recordings including ‘Feel The Fire’, ‘I’m So Into You’, ‘Let The Feeling Flow’ and ‘If Ever You’re In My Arms Again’. His collaborations also became a defining part of his catalogue. Duet albums with Natalie Cole and Roberta Flack produced some of the era’s most memorable romantic recordings, including ‘Tonight, I Celebrate My Love’.
Commercially, one of his biggest solo successes came with 1991’s Can You Stop The Rain, which topped Billboard’s R&B Albums chart and produced one of the signature performances of his career.
Bryson’s greatest mainstream success arrived through Disney. In 1992 he partnered with Celine Dion for ‘Beauty And The Beast’, the title song from Disney’s animated blockbuster. The recording earned the pair a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
A year later he repeated the achievement with Regina Belle on ‘A Whole New World’, the theme from Aladdin. The song became an international hit and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Bryson his biggest chart success. The back-to-back Grammy wins secured his place in pop culture history and ensured his voice would remain associated with two of Disney’s most enduring films.
Away from recording, Bryson remained active in theatre and television. He performed in productions of Porgy And Bess, contributed music to film and television projects, and famously sang the lyrical version of the theme song for the long-running soap opera One Life To Live.
His career was not without setbacks. In 2003, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service seized assets from his Atlanta home over unpaid taxes dating back to the 1980s. Among the items auctioned were his Grammy Awards, although one was later purchased by a family friend and returned to him.
Despite health challenges, including a heart attack in 2019 from which he recovered, Bryson continued recording and performing. His final studio albums included Stand For Love in 2018, produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Grace, released earlier in 2026.
Bryson is survived by his wife Tanya Boniface Bryson, his children Robert and Linda, and three grandchildren. Memorial arrangements are expected to be announced by the family in the coming days.
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