The Grammy-winning R&B legend Peabo Bryson, whose smooth vocals fronted iconic Disney soundtracks and a string of soulful chart successes, has died aged 75, per cnn.com.
His family confirmed in a statement that he passed away on Tuesday evening “surrounded by the love of his family and those closest to him”.
Born Robert Peapo Bryson in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1951, the singer began his career in his early teens performing background vocals. He adopted the stage name “Peabo” after older musicians struggled to pronounce his birth name, and left home at 16 to tour with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display.
Bryson’s breakthrough arrived after he was discovered by Eddie Biscoe, the general manager of Atlanta’s Bullet Records, who signed him as a writer, producer, and solo artist. Following his self-titled debut album in 1976, Bryson moved to Capitol Records, where his 1978 album Reaching for the Sky achieved gold status.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Bryson established himself as a dominant force on R&B radio with solo hits including “I’m So into You” and “Let the Feeling Flow”. He became highly regarded for his collaborative work with prominent female vocalists, recording successful projects with Natalie Cole and Roberta Flack, including the 1983 hit “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love”.
Signing with Elektra Records yielded the 1984 crossover pop success “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again,” followed by his 1991 self-penned hit “Can You Stop the Rain,” which became a staple of the “quiet storm” radio format.
Bryson achieved his greatest commercial success through Disney’s animated feature films. He won back-to-back Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the chart-topping ballads “Beauty and the Beast,” recorded with Celine Dion in 1993, and “A Whole New World,” performed with Regina Belle for Aladdin in 1994. Both tracks also secured Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
The singer had faced health challenges in recent years, surviving a heart attack in 2019 and suffering a stroke that required hospitalisation in May 2026. Bryson is survived by his wife, British singer Tanya Boniface, whom he married in 2010, and their son, born in 2018.
•Featured image: Peabo Bryson, seen here in 2015 in Atlanta/Robb D. Cohen/Invision/AP/File
