Peabo Bryson, the two-time Grammy Award-winning R&B singer best known as the voice behind the Oscar-winning Disney film duets “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle from “Aladdin,” has died. He was 75.
His family said in a statement that Bryson died Tuesday evening, June 2, 2026, days after having a stroke. He transitioned peacefully at 5:00 p.m. surrounded by the love of his family and those closest to him.
“While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing how deeply Peabo was loved and how many lives were touched by his voice and his generous spirit,” the family’s statement said. “His legacy and music will live on for generations to come.”
Internationally celebrated for his Disney classics, Bryson also built a career over five decades as one of R&B’s premier balladeers. His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration. Aside from his Disney hits, he recorded chart-topping songs including “Feel the Fire,” “I’m So Into You,” “Can You Stop the Rain,” and “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” with Roberta Flack.
Born and raised in South Carolina, the singer, songwriter and balladeer launched his career with the group Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display in the 1970s before Atlanta label Bang Records signed him as a solo artist. He recorded for Capitol, Elektra and Columbia Records and became one of music’s most sought-after duet partners, collaborating with artists including Regina Belle, Celine Dion, Roberta Flack and Natalie Cole.
Bryson’s duet “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion won an Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe in 1991. The following year, “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle from Aladdin peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first song from an animated film to top the chart. He won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for both songs.
The singer had faced several medical emergencies in recent years, including a heart attack in 2019 which he recovered from. He suffered a stroke days before his death.
Celine Dion paid tribute to her duet partner, writing on Instagram: “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’”.
Bryson is survived by his wife, Tanya Bonaface Bryson, his children Robert and Linda, and three grandchildren.
