Peabo Bryson Dies at 75: 'Beauty and the Beast' Voice Gone
Last update: June 3, 2026
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If you ever slow danced at a wedding, cried to an 80s power ballad, or sang a Disney love song at full volume in the car, you knew Peabo Bryson's voice even if you didn't know his name.
We've lost a proper legend. According to family statements first shared by cbinewstv, two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson died peacefully at 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, surrounded by his family. He was 75, and had suffered a stroke just two days earlier on 31 May.
Bryson wasn't just another R&B singer, he was the duet king. For more than five decades he gave us that warm, honey-rich baritone that made love songs feel honest. His solo favourites, "If Ever You're in My Arms Again", "Can You Stop the Rain" and "Feel the Fire", are still on every proper slow-jam playlist.
But let's be real, it was the duets that made him immortal:
"Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" with Roberta Flack, still the ultimate 1980s wedding first-dance.
Sessions with Natalie Cole, Kenny G and Whitney Houston that showed how generous he was as a vocal partner.
Then Disney came calling. His "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion won the Grammy in 1993, and "A Whole New World" with Regina Belle topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won another Grammy in 1994.
Born Robert Peapo Bryson in Greenville, South Carolina, he picked up the name "Peabo" from a bandleader who couldn't pronounce his middle name, and never looked back. Over 20 albums, eight Grammy nominations, two wins, and a reputation as R&B's most reliable romantic.
His final years were tough. He'd survived a major heart attack in 2019, kept recording, and was actually due to play a run of shows in Oakland, California, later this month.
His family said they are heartbroken but comforted by how deeply he was loved, and honestly, that's the truth. Peabo's music wasn't background noise, it was the soundtrack to proposals, anniversaries, first kisses and rainy Sunday afternoons.
The Voice of Love has gone quiet, but those songs aren't going anywhere.
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