Robert Peapo "Peabo" Bryson (April 13, 1951 - June 2, 2026) was an American singer and songwriter known for his work in R&B, soul, and adult contemporary music. He began his recording career in the 1970s and achieved commercial success with a series of solo recordings and duet collaborations. He was particularly known for his partnerships with singers such as Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Celine Dion, and Regina Belle. Bryson won two Grammy Awards for his performances of the Disney songs "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Whole New World".
Bryson was born Robert Peapo Bryson in Greenville, South Carolina, on April 13, 1951. He spent much of his childhood on his grandfather's farm in nearby Mauldin. His interest in music was influenced by his mother, who regularly took the family to concerts by prominent African American performers.
He began performing professionally at the age of 14 as a backing vocalist for the local Greenville group Al Freeman and the Upsetters. According to accounts of his early career, the stage name "Peabo" resulted from difficulties others had in pronouncing his middle name, Peapo. At age 16, he left home to tour with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display on the Chitlin' Circuit. During a recording session at Bang Records in Atlanta, he attracted the attention of the label's management and was signed as a songwriter, producer, and arranger. He spent several years writing and producing material before launching his solo recording career.
In 1976, Bryson released his debut album, "Peabo", on Bang Records. Although the album achieved only regional success, it led to a contract with Capitol Records in 1977. During his time with Capitol, he released the albums "Reaching for the Sky" (1978) and "Crosswinds" (1978), both of which were certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. He also collaborated with Natalie Cole on the album "We're the Best of Friends" (1979) and with Roberta Flack on "Born to Love" (1983). The latter included the successful duet "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love".
Among Bryson's notable solo recordings were "Feel the Fire", "Reaching for the Sky", "I'm So into You", "Crosswinds", "Let the Feeling Flow", "If Ever You're in My Arms Again", "Show and Tell", and "Can You Stop the Rain". "If Ever You're in My Arms Again", released in 1984 after Bryson signed with Elektra Records, became his first top-ten pop single in the United States and spent several weeks at the top of the adult contemporary chart. During the 1980s and early 1990s, he also achieved multiple top-ten placements on the Billboard R&B albums chart, with "Can You Stop the Rain" reaching number one in 1991.
Bryson contributed to several film and television projects. In 1985, he appeared on the soap opera "One Life to Live", performing a vocal version of the programme's theme song. His vocals were subsequently incorporated into the regular theme until 1992. In 1998, he recorded "Dream (Twinken's Tune)" for the soundtrack of the film "Barney's Great Adventure".
His most commercially successful recordings were a series of duets. With Angela Bofill, he recorded "For You and I" in 1988. His collaborations with Regina Belle included "Without You" (1987), "I Can't Imagine" (1991), "A Whole New World" (1992), and "Total Praise" (2009). "A Whole New World", featured in Disney's animated film "Aladdin", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Bryson also recorded "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion for Disney's animated film "Beauty and the Beast".
Bryson received two Grammy Awards. He won the 1992 Grammy Award for his performance of "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion and the 1993 Grammy Award for "A Whole New World" with Regina Belle.
In addition to his recording career, Bryson performed in theatre and opera productions. One of his most notable stage roles was the tenor part of Sportin' Life in a production of "Porgy and Bess" by the Michigan Opera Theatre.
In August 2003, the United States Internal Revenue Service seized property from Bryson's home in Atlanta, Georgia, over unpaid taxes reportedly dating back to 1984. The IRS subsequently auctioned a number of his possessions, including electronic equipment, a grand piano, and his Grammy Awards. One of the awards was reportedly purchased by a family friend with the intention of returning it to him.
In 2000, Bryson participated in the international competition at the 41st International Festival of the Song of Viña del Mar, representing France and winning the competition's top prize, the Golden Seagull. The following year, he returned to the festival as a judge.
Bryson's music continued to be featured in later home video releases of Disney films. The music videos for "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Whole New World" were included in special-edition releases of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin". In 2007, he released the album "Missing You" through Peak Records. In 2018, he released "Stand for Love", produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and issued on the reactivated Perspective Records label.
On September 4, 2016, Charleston and North Charleston, South Carolina, officially declared "Peabo Bryson Day" during the LowCountryJazzFest.
Bryson married singer Tanya Boniface, a member of the English R&B group The 411, in 2010. The couple had a son in 2018, and Bryson also had a daughter from a previous relationship as well as three grandchildren. Before his marriage, he was engaged to Juanita Leonard, the former wife of boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, and later to Angela Thigpen, a former Miss Virginia Teen USA, model, and actress.
In April 2019, Bryson suffered a heart attack and was hospitalised in Atlanta. He subsequently made a full recovery. On May 31, 2026, reports indicated that he had suffered a stroke. He died on June 2, 2026, at a hospital in Marietta, Georgia, at the age of 75.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peabo_Bryson
Studio albums
Peabo (1976)
Reaching for the Sky (1977)
Crosswinds (1978)
Paradise (1980)
Turn the Hands of Time (1981)
I Am Love (1981)
Don't Play with Fire (1982)
Straight from the Heart (1984)
Take No Prisoners (1985)
Quiet Storm (1986)
Positive (1988)
All My Love (1989)
Can You Stop the Rain (1991)
Through the Fire (1994)
Peace on Earth (1997)
Unconditional Love (1999)
Missing You (2007)
Stand for Love (2018)
Grace (2026) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
