Two-time Grammy Award winner Peabo Bryson, who delivered powerful performances in duets featured in the Disney animated films “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin” during the 1990s, died on Tuesday, his family said. He was 75.
Bryson died in Marietta, Georgia, three days after the R&B singer had suffered a stroke, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
According to a statement from his family, Bryson “transitioned peacefully at 5 p.m. ET on the evening of Tuesday, June 2, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family and those closest to him.”
Soulful ballads were Bryson’s specialty.
He teamed with Regina Belle to sing “A Whole New World” in “Aladdin” and sang the title song from “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion," Deadline reported. He would win a Grammy Award for each, in the category of best Performance by a pop duo or group, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Peabo Bryson, the veteran R&B singer best known for Disney film hits “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World,” has died.
— Variety (@Variety) June 2, 2026
No cause of death was cited, although the family announced on Sunday that he had suffered a strokehttps://t.co/McsdbPbiGt pic.twitter.com/z0olDwWg5o
“His incredible voice and his kind spirit embodied the beauty of song and performance,” Dion tweeted. “He will remain for me always as a real symbol of the joy that music has brought to my life.”
In a statement released early Wednesday, Belle said that she and Bryson “shared a special musical and spiritual bond developed through our love of music, family and community.”
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,“ Belle said. ”Peabo was far more than a legendary artist; he was my friend, my trusted collaborator, and someone whose talent, kindness, and generosity left an indelible mark on my life and career."
Bryson also scored hits with 1983’s “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love“ and ”You’re Lookin’ Like Love To Me,“ a pair of duets with Roberta Flack.
Bryson was born on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina. He became a professional singer and composer after high school and toured with Moses Dillard in the late 1960s, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
He released his first album, “Peabo,” in 1976, with Bang Records, an Atlanta-based label, The Associated Press reported.
Bryson signed with Capitol Records in 1977 and released “Reaching for the Sky,” according to Deadline.
I’m heartbroken to hear that we lost Peabo Bryson today. His incredible voice and his kind spirit embodied the beauty of song and performance. He was so wonderful and generous to me all those years ago, when we recorded Beauty and the Beast. He made me so comfortable, as I was… pic.twitter.com/ti8Tba33Or
— Celine Dion (@celinedion) June 3, 2026
He moved to Elektra Records in 1984 and scored his first Top 10 pop hit, “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again,” Variety reported. He followed it up with with “Show and Tell” and “Can You Stop the Rain.”
In 1985, Bryson appeared on “One Life to Live,” where he sang a lyrical version of the soap opera’s theme song. His version was subsequently adapted as she show’s main theme and would be played on every episode for the next seven years, according to the entertainment news outlet.
Bryson released his final album, “Stand for Love,” in 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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