Peabo Bryson, Grammy-winning R&B and Disney duet singer, dies at 75

NEW YORK (AP) — Peabo Bryson, the two-time Grammy-winning R&B singer whose voice helped make major Disney ballads international standards, has died at age 75.

Relatives said Bryson passed away Tuesday evening, several days after he suffered a stroke.

“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 said. “His legacy and music will live on for generations to come.”

Bryson was widely recognised for two Academy Award-winning Disney duets: “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle from “Aladdin.”

Across a recording career that ran for more than 50 years, he also became one of R&B’s standout romantic vocalists, with songs such as “Feel the Fire,” “I’m So Into You” and “Can You Stop the Rain.”

“For more than five decades, Peabo’s extraordinary voice served as the soundtrack to some of life’s most cherished moments,” his family said. “His music carried generations through joyful celebrations, great love stories and enduring moments of comfort and inspiration.”