UB In Memoriam: Pioneer Vocalist Peabo Bryson

Legendary Peabo Bryson passed away yesterday June 2nd, 2026.

“In this deeply difficult moment, the family asks for privacy as they mourn the loss of a beloved husband, father, family member, friend and artist whose impact extended far beyond the stage.”

The statement went on to say: “We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world. 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.”

Before his untimely death, plans were to celebrate his 50 year musical legacy this year.

With the Golden Touch Tour and a new album “Grace,” as well as a book.

Peabo Bryson is among the world’s most dynamic and gifted vocal talents.

Peabo Bryson established a career as one of the premier male vocalists in contemporary music.

Possessing a beautifully rich, almost operatic voice, who survived and prospered despite the passage of time and changes in popular musical trends.

Over the course of a career spanning from the mid-`60s but truly igniting in the `70s, the 2x-Oscar and Grammy-winner has amassed a fan base, critical acclaim, gold albums and an avalanche of awards by being one of the truly best friends a good song ever had…many of which he composed himself.

From ballads that gracefully continued the legacy of sweet soul music such as “Feel the Fire” and “I’m So Into You” to chart-topping pop hits such as “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again” and “Can You Stop The Rain,” and a plethora of duet collaborations with artists ranging from singers Celine Dion (“Beauty & The Beast”), Regina Belle (“A Whole New World”) and Melissa Manchester (“Lovers After All”), to instrumentalists Kenny G (“By The Time This Night is Over”) and Jim Brickman (“My Heart Belongs To You”), Peabo Bryson was the consummate vocal professional.

Born Robert Peabo Bryson on April 13, 1951 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Bryson spent much of his childhood on his grandfather’s farm in Maudlin, South Carolina. “I have two sisters and a brother, but I’m the oldest male in the family, so I was taught to work and work hard!”

Peabo‘s family not only instilled in him his work ethic, but a love for music as well. “My mother was a serious music lover. Whenever there was somebody great in town, she’d drag us along to catch their act. I have seen most of the greats of that period – Sam Cooke, Little Richard and even Billie Holiday. Sam Cooke was a great influence on me. His voice had a pure quality – straight from-the-heart.”

“I think the sensitivity in my songs stems from my early childhood. I was raised by women – my grandmother, until she died, and my mother. My grandmother was a woman who lived and loved with incredible passion.”

Peabo began singing at age 14 as a star of the traveling revue Al Freeman & The Upsetters.

Two years later in 1968 he left home to tour with the now-famous Southern “chitlin’ circuit” with another local band, Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display, gaining the experience that would help prepare him for a solid career as a recording artist and entertainer.

Bryson‘s first break came during a recording session at Atlanta’s Bullet/Bang Records.

The young singer caught the ear of the label’s then-general manager, Eddie Biscoe.

Biscoe signed Bryson to a contract as a writer, producer, and arranger and encouraged Bryson to perform his own songs.

For several years Bryson worked with hometown bands and wrote and produced for Bang.

In 1976, he released his debut album, “Peabo,” on Atlanta’s Bullet/Bang label.

The project featured Peabo composing nearly all of the songs (some with the great Thom Bell), a young Luther Vandross among the background vocalists, and sexy Black film star Tamara “Cleopatra Jones” Dobson showing him love on the back jacket.

But when he bowed on Capitol Records with the back to back gold albums “Reaching for the Sky” (1977) and “Crosswinds (1978),” he truly penetrated the hearts of soul fans everywhere with the title tracks as well as “Feel the Fire” and “I’m So Into You.”

He was paired with Capitol label mate Natalie Cole for the 1979 project “We’re the Best of Friends” and a year later with Roberta Flack for the double-album “Live & More“.

Peabo delivered four more albums for Capitol before making a second, even bigger album with Flack titled “Born to Love,” a gold seller that featured the smash “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” (Top 5 R&B and #16 Pop).

That led him to sign a deal with Elektra Records for four albums, the second of which, “Take No Prisoners,” begat the crossover smash “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” (Top 10 Pop and R&B).

With the release of “Positive” he stated; “It took a while and there were many reasons for that. For instance, three of the songs came from the Bill Cosby movie, ‘Leonard — Part 6’—and that wasn’t part of our original plan for the album. But when the opportunity came, I didn’t want to pass it up. While the film did get a lot of mixed reaction, think the bright spot is the music!”

At the time he was also taking heat, for crossing over and spoke on that to Billboard; “I resent the way people said that I was ‘trying to get white’ after I had a crossover hit with ‘If Ever You’re In My Arms Again’ in 1983. It was a trip because the attitude that some Black radio stations and people in the media had toward me after that hit was allowed to fester: found myself wondering ‘where is al this hostility coming from?.’ I was insulted! I resented being categorized —music is supposed to be universal.”

A return to Capitol in 1989 for the one-off album “All My Love” earned him his first R&B #1 single with a remake of the late Al Wilson’s “Show &Tell” (a song he proudly kept the torch lit for in all of his shows).

He hit the R&B chart-top a second time with the smash “Can You Stop The Rain,” the title track of his R&B chart-topping first of two album for Columbia Records.

On his jump to Columbia. “It was a more amicable parting than you would think. We mutually decided to do some things. It was difficult, but it wasn’t as difficult as it could have been. There’s nothing wrong with Elektra and Capitol; they just weren’t right for Peabo.”

The album was heavy on the ballads, his forte, with about half the material written by him. “This is music to make love by and to have a relationship by,” Bryson explained, adding that he felt it was the best album he had made to date.

Producers included Walter Afanasieff, Sir Gant, Barry Mann, Peter Bunetta, Rick Chudacoff, and Dwight Watkins.

But it was two songs for Disney animated films that earned Peabo his two Grammys and two Oscars.

The first was 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast” with international pop singer Celine Dion which also topped the pop chart.

The very next year, Peabo struck gold, a Grammy and an Oscar with Regina Belle for “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme)” from Aladdin.

Since these two milestones, he has been even more sought after as a guest vocalist and duet partner, resulting in work with Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga on “We Kiss in the Shadows” (#1 on the Classical Crossover chart from a new recording of “The King and I” score) and Kenny G’s “By The Time This Night is Over” (from the chart topping Contemporary Jazz CD, Breathless).

Peabo has since also starred on stage in the lead role of “Raisin,” as The Wizard in “The Wiz” and was featured in the Michigan Opera’s 100th anniversary production of “Porgy & Bess.”

He also released a whopping three Christmas albums, lovingly filled with music he’s performed for several years running in the annual touring holiday music extravaganza, “The Colors of Christmas.”

The last pop album Peabo released prior to “Missing You” was 1999’s “Unconditional Love” on the Private Music label.

The album “Missing You” followed in 2007.

On September 4th, 2016, it was declared “Peabo Bryson Day” in Charleston, South Carolina and North Charleston, SC, during the LowCountryJazzFest.

In 2018, Peabo Bryson released his new album “Stand for Love,” produced by legendary Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

UBG did online promotion for the project and Peabo showed us much love and appreciation!

Peabo Bryson amassed a loyal fan base, critical acclaim and an avalanche of awards by being one of the “truly best friends” a song could ever have.

With his tremendous crossover success, Peabo transitioned into “a whole new world” of international acclaim.

UB Sends Our Condolences to the Family, Friends and Fans of Peabo Bryson!

SINGLES & CHART POSITION

1975: “Do It With Feeling”
US #94, R&B #25

1976: “It’s Just A Matter Of Time”
R&B #22

1976: “Underground Music”
R&B #22

1977: “I Can Make It Better”
R&B #23

1977: “Just Another Day”
R&B #27

1978: “Do It With Feeling”
R&B #76

1978: “Feel The Fire”
R&B #13

1978: “I’m So Into You”
R&B #2

1978: “Reaching For The Sky”
R&B #6

1979: “Crosswinds”
R&B #28

1979: “She’s A Woman”
R&B #44

1980: “Gimme Some Time”
(with Natalie Cole)
R&B #8

1980: “I Love The Way You Love”
R&B #39

1980: “Minute By Minute”
R&B #12

1980: “What You Won’t Do For Love”
(with Natalie Cole)
R&B #16

1981: “Love Is A Waiting Game”
(with Roberta Flack)
R&B #46

1981: “Lovers After All”
US #54, R&B #34

1981: “Make The World Stand Still”
R&B #13

1981: “Turn The Hands Of Time”
R&B #61

1982: “Give Me Your Love”
R&B #22

1982: “Let The Feeling Flow”
US #42, R&B #6

1982: “There’s No Guarantee”
R&B #36

1983: “Maybe” (with Roberta Flack)
R&B #68

1983: “Remember When (So Much Love)”
R&B #54

1983: “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” (with Roberta Flack)
US #16, R&B #5

1983: “We Don’t Have To Talk About Love”
R&B #16

1983: “You’re Lookin’ Like Love To Me” (with Roberta Flack)
US #58, R&B #41

1984: “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again”
US #10, R&B #6, AC #1

1984: “Slow Dancin'”
US #82, R&B #35

1985: “Love Always Finds A Way”
R&B #63

1985: “Take No Prisoners (In The Game Of Love)”
US #78, R&B #39

1985: “There’s Nothin’ Out There”
R&B #36

1986: “Good Combination”
R&B #44

1987: “Catch 22”
R&B #92

1987: “Without You (Love Theme from Leonard, Part 6 )”
US #89, R&B #14

1989: “All My Love”
R&B #6

1989: “Show and Tell”
R&B #1

1990: “Lover’s Paradise”
R&B #98

1991: “Can You Stop the Rain”
US #52, R&B #1

1991: “Closer Than Close”
R&B #10

1991: “Beauty and the Beast”
(with Celine Dion)
US #9

1992: “Lost In The Night”
R&B #43

1992: “Shower You With Love”
R&B #47

1992: “A Whole New World”
(with Regina Belle)
US #1, R&B #21, AC #1

1993: “By the Time This Night Is Over” (with Kenny G)
US #25, R&B #37, AC #1

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