Peabo Bryson Biography
Peabo Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina. He is well known for singing soul ballads (often as a duo with female singers) and has contributed to two Disney animated feature soundtracks. Bryson is a winner of two Grammy Awards.
Bryson has been recording music since the late ‘70s. Over the years, he has released numerous albums including Reaching for the Sky, Crosswinds and Can You Stop the Rain, all of which have gone gold in the U.S.
In addition to his solo efforts, he has done many collaborations throughout his career. For instance, he collaborated with Natalie Cole on the album We’re the Best of Friends in 1979. At one point, he also worked with Roberta Flack on Born to Love, which charted on the Billboard 200.
Peabo Bryson Age
Peabo Bryson was born on 13 April 1951. His birth name is Robert Peapo Bryson. He changed his name from “Peapo” to “Peabo” in 1965. He is fifty-four years of age.
Peabo Bryson Family
His mother name is Marie Bryson. Peabo’s father name is currently unavailable. His birthplace is in Greenville, South Carolina in the United States. He holds American nationality. Bryson had two sisters and a brother.
He spent much of his childhood on his grandfather’s farm in Mauldin, South Carolina. His mother often used to take the family to concerts of well-known African-American artists at the time. Peabo’s interest in music grew eventually.
Peabo Bryson Early Life
Peabo Bryson got motivated to become a musician after his mum took him to podcasts of popular musicians such as Billie Holliday, Sam Cooke, and Little Richard. After he was 14 years old, he turned into a backing vocalist for both the Upsetters and Al Freeman.
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, Peabo Bryson went together with the Tex-Town Screen and Moses Dillard to a tour. When he reserved a session in the Bang Records of Atlanta he received his initial breakthrough. He also became a producer, songwriter, and arranger and signed a contract. Producers invited him to record songs. For a couple of decades, he was employed as a producer and a songwriter for Bang.
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.
Peabo Bryson Marriage
Before marrying his present wife, former singer and member of English R&B group The 411 Tanya Boniface, Bryson was engaged several times to Juanita Leonard, the former wife of boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard. In the 1990s, he became engaged to Angela Thigpen, former Miss Virginia Teen USA and later a model/actress. Bryson and Boniface have a son, Robert, born January 1, 2018.
Bryson also has a daughter, Linda (born c. 1968), from a previous relationship, along with three grandchildren.
Legendary singer Peabo Bryson, 66 and his 36-year-old wife Tanya welcomed their first child together, a son, born on New Year’s Eve.
In a series of Tweets, Bryson, who has one older daughter from a prior relationship, and his wife expressed their excitement for their new baby boy, who Peabo referred to as “Kit Bryson/RobertKittrick-Peabo Bryson.”
On December 31, Peabo posted: “It is with honor and humility my lovely one and I announce the God-given gift of Kit Bryson/RobertKittrick-Peabo Bryson to the world.”
He added: “Robert Kittrick-Peabo Bryson/ Kit Bryson, is here to bring in the New Year, a new life, a greater love and God willing, an extended legacy.”
The crooner followed up his announcement with some photos of himself chillin’ with his baby and wife, along with the caption: “Now the real journey begins With the greatest of blessings, our gift!! PB2018,” as in ‘Peabo Bryson 2018.
Peabo Bryson Career
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.
Bryson won two Grammy Awards: in 1992 for his performance of the song “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and in 1993 for “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle.
In Spring 1998, Bryson contributed his voice to Barney’s Great Adventure: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, with the song “Dream (Twinken’s Tune)”.
In the 2000s
Bryson performed in theater and operatic productions, most notably the tenor role of “Sportin’ Life” in the Michigan Opera Theater of Detroit’s version of Porgy and Bess. His tax problems caught up with him on August 21, 2003, when the U.S. Internal Revenue Service seized property from his Atlanta, Georgia, home.
In 2002, Bryson’s “Beauty and the Beast” music video was included on the platinum and Blu-ray edition of Beauty and the Beast. His “A Whole New World” music video was included on the platinum edition DVD release of Aladdin. Bryson’s CD, Missing You, was released on October 2, 2007, on Peak Records, a division of Concord Music Group.
September 4, 2016, was declared “Peabo Bryson Day” in Charleston, SC and North Charleston, SC during the LowcountryJazzFest. The annual jazzfest is presented by ClosingTheGapInHealthCare.org, founded by Dr. Thaddeus Bell.
In 2018, Bryson released his new album Stand For Love, which was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The project was released on Jam & Lewis’ newly reactivated label, Perspective Records.
Peabo Bryson Duets
He recorded the successful album of romantic love duets with Roberta Flack (Born to Love) in 1983.
In partnership with Regina Belle, Bryson recorded two hit duets: “Without You”, the love theme from the comedy film Leonard Part 6, recorded in 1987 and “A Whole New World”, the main theme of the Disney’s animated feature film Aladdin, recorded in 1992.
Bryson and Belle recorded four duets over the years: “Without You” (in 1987), “I Can’t Imagine” (in 1991), “A Whole New World” (in 1992) and “Total Praise” (in 2009).
Among his romantic love songs and duets are:
- “Gimme Some Time”, with Natalie Cole
- “What You Won’t Do for Love”, with Natalie Cole
- “Here We Go”, with Minnie Riperton
- “Lovers After All”, with Melissa Manchester
- “Tonight I Celebrate My Love”, with Roberta Flack
- “You’re Lookin’ Like Love to Me”, with Roberta Flack
- “I Just Came Here to Dance”, with Roberta Flack
- “There’s Nothin’ Out There”, with Chaka Khan
- “Without You”, with Regina Belle (theme from Leonard Part 6)
- “For You and I” with Angela Bofill
- “Beauty and the Beast”, with Celine Dion (theme from Beauty and the Beast)
- “I Can’t Imagine”, with Regina Belle
- “A Whole New World”, with Regina Belle (theme from Aladdin)
- “You Are My Home”, with Linda Eder (theme from The Scarlet Pimpernel)
- “By the Time This Night Is Over”, with Kenny G
- “Light the World”, with Deborah Gibson
- “The Gift”, with Roberta Flack
- “Wishes”, with Kimberley Locke (for the album Disney Wishes!)
- “The Best Part”, with Nadia Gifford
- “As Long As There’s Christmas”, with Roberta Flack (theme from Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas)
- “I Have Dreamed”, with Lea Salonga (theme from The King and I)
- “Make It Til Tomorrow”, with Sandi Patty
Peabo Bryson Net Worth
In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements, and advertising work.
The American singer-songwriter has an estimated net worth of $275 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics.
He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Bryson Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Greenville Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderbryson – US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Peabo) and a fashion line called “Peabo Bryson Seduction”.
Peabo Bryson Legal Issues
He was caught up with tax problems in August 2003. The US Internal Revenue Service seized his Atlanta property.
He is reported to owe $1.2 million in taxes dating back to 1984. The IRS auctioned many of his possessions, including both Grammy Awards, electronic equipment, his grand piano and multiple pairs of shoes including the 2 Versace pair purchased by Nashville Bassist and Florida native Justin Lowry.
Peabo Bryson Heart Attack
On April 29, 2019, it was reported that Bryson had suffered a heart attack, and had been taken to Atlanta hospital where he was said to be in a stable condition.
On Saturday, the “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” singer suffered a mild heart attack at his Georgia home. According to TMZ, he’s listed in stable condition and is awake and responsive.
“Both his medical team and family are optimistic for a speedy recovery,” his rep released in a statement. “At this time, privacy is requested; however, the thoughts and prayers of friends and fans are welcomed and appreciated.”
Note: This biography is based on the available information as of 2023, and real-time updates or developments are being updated by our editorial team.