Peabo Bryson, Voice Behind "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Whole New World," Dies at 75
Peabo Bryson, the two-time Grammy Award-winning R&B singer whose voice became synonymous with two of Disney's most beloved animated films, has died. He was 75.
Bryson died Tuesday evening, June 2, at 5 p.m. ET in Marietta, Georgia, surrounded by his family, according to a statement from his representative. His death came three days after a representative announced he had suffered a stroke. He also survived a massive heart attack in 2019.
"With broken hearts and profound sadness, the family of two-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and balladeer, Peabo Bryson, announces his passing," the family said in a statement to TMZ. "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."
He is survived by his wife, Tanya Bonaface Bryson; his children, Robert and Linda; and three grandchildren.
The Voice Behind Two Disney Classics
Bryson's name is inseparable from two of the most recognizable songs in Disney history. In 1991, he sang "Beauty and the Beast" alongside Céline Dion for the animated film of the same name — a song that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The following year, he and Regina Belle recorded "A Whole New World" for Aladdin, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — the first song from an animated film to do so — and won a second Oscar and a second Grammy.
Two Disney films. Two Oscars. Two Grammys. Few voices have left that kind of mark on a single decade of American popular culture.
A Career Built Before Disney
Bryson was already a well-established artist long before Disney came calling. Born Robert Peapo Bryson on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina, he began singing background for older performers in his early teens. At 16, he left home to tour with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display. He caught the attention of Eddie Biscoe, general manager of Atlanta's Bullet Records, who encouraged him to go solo.
It was some of those early singers' inability to pronounce "Peapo" that led to the name "Peabo" — an accidental rebranding that stuck for the rest of his life.
He released his self-titled debut album in 1976 and spent the following decade building a reputation as one of the premier male R&B vocalists of his era. His smooth tone, rich range, and what CNN described as "operatic control" set him apart in a field of strong competitors. He had his first major commercial success with duets — a format that would define his legacy — partnering with Roberta Flack on two albums in the early 1980s. He later teamed with Kenny G for "By the Time This Night Is Over," a track on Kenny G's 1993 Breathless album that became one of Bryson's three songs to top Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. Breathless has sold more than 12 million copies in the U.S. alone.
Bryson had 20 studio albums to his credit and the distinction, according to his concert biography, of being the first artist in music history to have separate records topping four different charts.
What His Family Said
"For more than five decades, Peabo's extraordinary voice served as the soundtrack to some of life's most cherished moments," his family said in a statement. "His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration, creating a legacy that will forever live in the hearts of those who loved him and the countless lives he touched through song."
Details about a memorial and celebration of life will be announced.
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