Singer Peabo Bryson performs at The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on August 18, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. Bryson, the Grammy-winning R&B singer behind two beloved Disney duets, has died at 75.
Monica Morgan/Getty Images
Peabo Bryson, the Grammy-winning R&B singer whose soaring duets helped turn Disney ballads “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World” into early-1990s pop classics, died Tuesday, June 2. He was 75.
Bryson’s death came a little more than two months before he was scheduled to perform four shows at Yoshi’s in Oakland on Aug. 13-14.
His family announced his death Tuesday, saying he died “surrounded by the love of his family and those closest to him.”
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“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 statement said.
The statement did not give a cause of death, but a representative had said days earlier that Bryson had suffered a stroke and was receiving medical care.
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He last performed in the Bay Area in December with the Count Basie Orchestra at a “Home for the Holidays” concert at Davies Symphony Hall.
Canadian singer Celine Dion and American R&B and soul singer and songwriter Peabo Bryson attend the 1992 Wolrd Music Awards ceremony in Monaco, May 14, 1992. Bryson, the Grammy-winning R&B singer behind two beloved Disney duets, has died at 75.
Bourguet Jacques/Jacques Bourguet
Bryson, born Robert Peapo Bryson in Greenville, S.C. on April 13, 1951, built a career that stretched from 1970s soul to Disney’s animated film renaissance. He began performing professionally as a teenager and released his self-titled debut album in 1976 before moving to Capitol Records and finding a wider audience with “Reaching for the Sky.”
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By the 1980s, Bryson had become known for romantic ballads and duets, including his work with Roberta Flack on “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love.” His solo hits included “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again,” “Can You Stop the Rain” and “Feel the Fire.”
But his biggest crossover success came through Disney.
Bryson and Celine Dion won the Grammy Award for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal for “Beauty and the Beast,” the title song from the 1991 animated film. The following year, Bryson and Regina Belle recorded “A Whole New World” for “Aladdin,” winning the same Grammy category. Both songs also won Academy Awards for original song, though those Oscars went to the songwriters.
“A Whole New World” became one of Bryson’s signature recordings and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, extending his audience across generations of listeners who knew him first from Disney soundtracks and later discovered his deeper R&B catalog.
Peabo Bryson performs during The Golden Touch Tour at the Andiamo Celebrity Showroom on April 12, 2025, in Warren, Michigan. Bryson, the Grammy-winning R&B singer behind two beloved Disney duets, has died at 75.
Monica Morgan/Getty Images
Bryson’s Grammy record lists two wins and eight nominations. His later work included the 2018 album “Stand for Love.”
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In 2019, Bryson suffered a heart attack but later recovered. In May, his representatives said he had suffered a stroke and asked for privacy for his family.
“We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world,” his family said. “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.”
The Oakland dates were set to be another chance to hear one of R&B’s most polished voices in an intimate room. Yoshi’s had promoted Bryson as “one of the premier male vocalists in modern music,” citing the rich, near-operatic tone that made him a fixture on adult contemporary and R&B radio.
Memorial arrangements are expected to be announced later, according to the family statement.