ATLANTA — Peabo Bryson, the iconic, two-time Grammy Award-winning R&B balladeer whose soaring vocals defined the soundtracks of generations, has passed away at the age of 75.
The singer transitioned peacefully on Tuesday evening, June 2, 2026, surrounded by his family and loved ones in Marietta, Georgia. His passing comes just days after his representatives confirmed he had been hospitalized following a sudden stroke.
The Soundtrack to Cherished Moments
In an emotional statement released shortly after his passing, Bryson’s family expressed profound grief while honoring a massive musical legacy that spanned over five decades:
”With broken hearts and profound sadness, the family of two-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and balladeer, Peabo Bryson, announces his passing,” the statement read. “For more than five decades, Peabo’s extraordinary voice served as the soundtrack to some of life’s most cherished moments. His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration.”
Charting Disney’s Renaissance Era
While Bryson had already established himself as a dominant, chart-topping force in soul and adult contemporary music, he achieved global, permanent pop-culture immortality in the early 1990s as the ultimate duet partner for Disney’s animated cinema revival.
In 1991, he teamed up with Canadian powerhouse Celine Dion to record the titular pop version of Beauty and the Beast, securing his first Grammy Award.
He followed that monumental success in 1992 by pairing with Regina Belle for A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme). The track became a massive international phenomenon, rocketing to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, effectively dethroning Whitney Houston’s historic run with I Will Always Love You. The duet won Bryson his second career Grammy and took home an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
A Half-Century Master of the Love Ballad
Born Robert Peapo Bryson on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina, his passion for music was cultivated on his grandfather’s farm and nurtured by his mother, who brought him along to concerts featuring legendary African American artists of the era. He began his professional touring career at just 14 years old with local groups, eventually finding mainstream traction after signing with Atlanta’s Bang Records as a solo act in 1976.
Bryson quickly earned a reputation as the industry’s most sought-after male duet partner, collaborating with legendary vocalists like Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, and Roberta Flack. His 1983 collaboration with Flack, Tonight, I Celebrate My Love, remains one of the definitive wedding and romance anthems of the 1980s.
Tributes Pour in for a Musical Giant
News of his passing triggered an immediate wave of mourning across the entertainment world. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens led the city’s civic tributes, releasing a poignant statement calling Bryson “one of music’s most beloved voices” whose artistry completely shaped the rich cultural legacy of the region.
Television host and comedian Loni Love shared a touching memory on social media, recalling an extended personal conversation she had with Bryson on a cruise deck last year:
”He shared incredible stories, spoke passionately about his music, and had such a deep love for his craft,” Love wrote. “I am so grateful to have had that special moment with him.”
Bryson is survived by his wife, Tanya Boniface Bryson, their son, Robert, his daughter, Linda, and three grandchildren. The family indicated that formal memorial arrangements and a celebration-of-life service will be shared with the public at a later date.
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