Peabo Bryson, the two-time Grammy-winning R&B singer whose distinctive tenor gave Disney two of its most enduring romantic anthems, died on June 2, 2026. He was 75. His death came three days after he suffered a stroke. Full obituary at Deadline.
Born Robert Peopo Bryson on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina, he began performing professionally right after high school, touring with Moses Dillard’s band in the late 1960s before releasing his debut album, Peabo, in 1976. Over the next five decades he released 20 solo albums — five of which went gold — and amassed nine R&B Top 10 hits, including chart-toppers “Show & Tell” (1989) and “Can You Stop the Rain” (1991).
His career reached its widest cultural peak through two Disney collaborations in the early 1990s. “Beauty and the Beast,” a duet with Céline Dion for the 1991 animated film, became a Top 10 hit and earned both singers a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The following year, “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle for Aladdin topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won a second Grammy in the same category — a back-to-back feat no other duo has matched at that ceremony.
Céline Dion, who recorded “Beauty and the Beast” with Bryson while still learning to perform in English, issued a personal tribute. “I’m heartbroken to hear that we lost Peabo Bryson today,” Dion said. “His incredible voice and his kind spirit embodied the beauty of song and performance. His voice and his talent will be missed. My heart is with your family and may you rest in peace.” She also recalled that Bryson’s patience and warmth helped put her at ease during those recording sessions.
Regina Belle was equally direct. “The hardest part of this moment is knowing that I will never be able to sing again with the person who helped me create such magic,” she said in a statement. Their “A Whole New World” has remained a standard of wedding playlists and Disney park performances for more than three decades. For more tributes from the music world, see Eastern Herald’s entertainment coverage.
Bryson had previously survived a massive heart attack in 2019. A representative announced the stroke on May 30, and he passed three days later in Marietta, Georgia. He is survived by his wife, Tanya Bonaface Bryson; his children, Robert and Linda; and three grandchildren. His family said they were “tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world.”
Beyond the Disney duets, Bryson’s catalog included a celebrated 1983 duet album with Roberta Flack, Born to Love, which produced the hit “Turn the Hands of Time.” He also performed the theme for the soap opera One Life to Live in 1985 and appeared in a late-1990s revival of The Wiz. His voice — warm, unhurried, and precise — defined a generation of adult R&B that bridged soul, pop, and the emerging sound of the quiet storm format. Read more music news at Eastern Herald.
