Veteran R&B singer Peabo Bryson, best known for his duets from the Disney films “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast,” has suffered a stroke and is undergoing treatment, according to a statement from his rep to Variety on Sunday.
“Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and balladeer, Peabo Bryson — the voice behind the Oscar-winning Disney songs ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘A Whole New World’ — has suffered a stroke and is currently under medical care.
“At this time, the family requests privacy as they navigate this deeply personal moment together. The thoughts, prayers and love of friends and fans are welcomed and deeply appreciated.”
Best known for his smooth voice and duet hit ballads, Bryson, 75, scored hits with the above two songs — duets with Celine Dion and Regina Belle, respectively from hit Disney films — as well as “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” “You’re Looking Like Love to Me” and “As Long as There’s Christmas.”
A native of South Carolina, Bryson came up in the 1970s as a member of the group Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display. He was signed to the Atlanta indie label Bang Records as a solo artist and released his first album in 1976, and upscaled to Capitol the following year.
A long string of R&B hits ensued, including 1977’s “Feel the Fire” and “Reaching for the Sky” and “I’m So into You” and “Crosswinds” the following year. In 1984 he scored his first Top 10 pop hit, “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again,” and followed with “Show and Tell” and “Can You Stop the Rain.” In 1985, he appeared on the soap opera “One Life to Live,” adding vocals its theme song; that version was subsequently adapted as the show’s main theme and ran on every episode for the next seven years.
During this time his duets with female singers became hits and he followed that track for the next decade. He recorded an album of duets with Roberta Flack, “Born to Love,” in 1983, and over the following years scored hits with Angela Bofill (“For You and I”), a string of duets with Regina Belle and several of the above-mentioned hits.
Variety will have more on the situation as it develops.
