Robert Peabo Bryson (born April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina; died June 2, 2026, in Marietta, Georgia) was an American soul singer. Ballads were a particular specialty of his. Beginning in the late 1970s, he rose to fame through duets with female vocalists such as Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, and Melissa Manchester. These successes were surpassed by the global hits *Beauty and the Beast* (1991, with Céline Dion) and *A Whole New World* (1992, with Regina Belle)—both originating from Walt Disney animated films—each of which earned Bryson a Grammy Award. In the 1970s, Bryson initially sang with the Michael Zager Band; toward the end of the decade, he achieved his breakthrough as an R&B singer in the U.S. with his second solo album. Both the album *Reaching for the Sky* (1977) and its successor, *Crosswinds* (1978), were certified Gold for selling 500,000 copies. A year later, he released the album *We’re the Best of Friends* with Natalie Cole. He scored his first worldwide hit in 1983 with a duet alongside Roberta Flack: "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" reached number 2 on the UK charts.[3] In the U.S., he achieved a Top 10 hit in 1984 with the solo recording "If Ever You’re in My Arms Again." He continued to enjoy great success throughout the 1990s as well. In 1991, his song "Can You Stop the Rain" hit number 1 on the U.S. R&B charts. The album of the same name was certified Gold in the U.S. That same year, he sang the title track for the Walt Disney film *Beauty and the Beast* alongside Céline Dion, once again breaking into the Top 10 of the U.S. charts. The song won an Oscar (Academy Award Winner: Best Original Song) as well as two Grammys. A year later, he performed the Disney song "A Whole New World"—from the film *Aladdin*—with Regina Belle. The track won three Grammys, including Song of the Year. It also marked Bryson’s only number-one hit on the U.S. pop charts. In 1993, he returned to the U.S. charts—reaching number 25—with Kenny G on the song "By the Time This Night Is Over" reached number 25 on the US charts once again. The song remained in the Top 40 for seven weeks. Bryson's success waned in the mid-1990s. In 2003, he made headlines due to tax debts totaling 1.2 million US dollars. Consequently, a major auction was held in which—among other items—his Grammy Awards, gold records, and other valuable possessions were sold off to settle the debts. The album *Missing You* was released in 2007. His final album, *Stand for Love*, was released in 2018. Peabo Bryson died in early June 2026 at the age of 75 from complications following a stroke. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peabo_Bryson A Whole New World - Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle Peabo Bryson - Can You Stop the Rain Rest in peace!
