Peabo Bryson, an iconic singer whose hits included the pop versions of the Aladdin tune “A Whole New World” and the title song from Beauty and the Beast, has died.
Bryson’s family told People that the R&B hitmaker died on Tuesday after he recently suffered a stroke. He was 75.
“We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world,” Bryson’s family said 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.”
Born Robert Peopo Bryson on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, S.C., Bryson released his first album, Peabo, in 1976. Among Bryson’s major hits were the title song from the Walt Disney Animated classic “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991, where he sang a duet with Céline Dion. In 1992, he recorded “A Whole New World” from Disney’s Aladdin, where he sang a duet with Regina Belle.
Both “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World” earned Best Original Song Oscars for songwriters Alan Menken (music) and Howard Ashman (lyrics). Bryson, however, earned accolades for his performances, as he won Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal Grammys along with Dion for “Beauty and the Beast” and Belle for “A Whole New World.”
Peabo Bryson Landed A Top 10 Solo Hit in 1994
Peabo Bryson’s success came long before his work with Disney. In 1979, Bryson recorded an album of duets with Natalie Cole called We’re the Best of Friends, where he contributed either lead vocals with Cole, backing vocals and/or keyboards.
In 1983, Bryson recorded the hit duet “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” with Roberta Flack, and in 1994, the singer scored a top 10 with “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again.”
In addition to his Grammy wins for “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World,” Bryson shared three other Grammy nominations. Along with his collaborators, Bryson earned nominations for Beauty and the Beast (Best Original Soundtrack) for Album of the Year, as well as Record of the Year for his performance of the title song with Dion. Bryson also shared a Record of the Year nomination with Belle for “A Whole New World.”
In addition, Bryson earned four Grammy nominations as a solo artist. He earned Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male Grammy nominations in 1992 for “Can You Stop the Rain” and 1993 for “Lost in the Night.” In 2000, Bryson was nominated for two more Grammys, one for a Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “Unconditional Love,” and the other for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Did You Ever Know.”
Between solo and duet albums, Bryson released over 20 LPs. His last album, Grace, is scheduled to be released sometime this year. Bryson was performing in concerts as late as 2025.
Bryson is survived by his wife, Tanya Boniface, children, Linda and Robert, and three grandchildren.
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