BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Full Name: Robert Peabo Bryson
Description: Vocalist, USA
Known For: Beauty and The Beast
Instruments: Voice
Music Styles: Rock, Soul, Easy listening
Location: SC, United States of America
Date Born: 13th April 1951
Location Born: Greenville, South Carolina, United States of America
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BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson (born Robert Peapo Bryson, April 13, 1951, given name changed from “Peapo” to Peabo c. 1965) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina. He is well known for singing soft-rock ballads (often as a duo with female singers) and has contribution to at least 3 Disney animated feature soundtracks.
Bryson marked his professional debut at age 14, singing backup for Al Freeman and the Upsetters, a local Greenville group. It was Freeman’s difficulty in pronouncing Bryson’s French West-Indian name, “Peapo”, that led Bryson to change its spelling to Peabo. Two years later, he left home to tour the chitlin’ circuit with another local band, Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display. Bryson’s first break came during a recording session at Atlanta’s Bang Records. Although Bang was not impressed with Dillard’s band, the young backup singer caught the ear of the label’s 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 launched his own recording career with “Underground Music” on the Bang label. His first album, Peabo, followed shortly thereafter. Although only a regional success, Bryson signed to Capitol Records in 1977.
Bryson’s greatest solo hits include 1977’s “Feel the Fire” and “Reaching for the Sky”, 1978’s “I’m So Into You” and “Crosswinds”, 1982’s “Let the Feeling Flow”, 1984’s “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again” (his first Top 10 pop single, at #10 in the US), 1989’s “Show and Tell”, and the 1991 hit “Can You Stop the Rain”. In 1985, he appeared on the soap opera One Life to Live to sing a lyrical version of its theme song. Bryson’s vocals were added to the regular theme song in 1987 and his voice was heard daily until 1992. He recorded the successful album of romantic love duets with Roberta Flack (Born to Love) in 1983.
His love for music stemmed from his mother, who often took the family to concerts of well known African-American artists at the time, such as Sam Cooke, Little Richard and Billie Holiday.
Of the three, Sam Cooke was one of his biggest influences because he felt Cooke’s voice had a pure quality and a style of singing that was from the heart, which he wanted to emulate.
A Grammy winner in 1992 for ‘Beauty and The Beast’ with Celine Dion and another in 1993 for ‘A Whole New World’ with singer Regina Bell.
He has performed in operatic and theatre productions such as ‘Porgy and Bess’.
Among his romantic love songs and duets are:
“Here We Go”, with Minnie Riperton
“Gimme Some Time”, with Natalie Cole
“Beauty and the Beast” (Beauty and the Beast), with Céline Dion
“Light the World”, with Deborah Gibson
“The Gift”, with Roberta Flack
“I Can’t Imagine”, with Regina Belle
“A Whole New World” (Aladdin), with Regina Belle
“Tonight I Celebrate My Love”, with Roberta Flack
“The Best Part”, with Nadia Gifford
“Lovers After All”, with Melissa Manchester
“You Are My Home” (The Scarlet Pimpernel) with Linda Eder
“By the Time This Night Is Over” with Kenny G
“For You and I” with Angela Bofill
“Without You” with Regina Belle
“As Long As There’s Christmas” (Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas), with Roberta Flack
“I Have Dreamed” (The King and I) with Lea Salonga
“Make It Til Tomorrow”, with Sandi Patty
He is well known for singing soft-rock ballads (often as a duo with female singers) and his contribution to several Disney animated feature soundtracks.
Discography
Main article: Peabo Bryson discography
Peabo (1976)
Reaching for the Sky (1977)
Crosswinds (1978)
We’re the Best of Friends (1979)
Paradise (1980)
I Am Love (1981)
Born to Love (1983)
Straight from the Heart (1984)