A Whole New World

Pops 2

A Whole New World with Peabo Bryson

March 4, 2023 7:30 PM

It is with great regret that we inform you that Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. will not be with us for next Saturday’s concert. Mr. Davis is under doctor’s orders not to travel for the immediate future. Fortunately, Peabo Bryson is able to perform with SOST in their stead. All tickets will be honored for the March 4^th concert. Please call the office for further information.

Born Robert Peabo Bryson on April 13, 1951 in Greenville, South Carolina, this world renowned balladeer got his start as the lead singer of Al Freeman & The Upsetters and Moses Dillard & The Tex-Town Display. In 1976, he released his debut LP, “Peabo”, on Atlanta’s Bullet/Bang label. Peabo composed nearly all the songs for this album (some with the great Thom Bell), in addition to a young Luther Vandross being among the background vocalists, and sexy Black film star Tamara “Cleopatra Jones” Dobson showing him love on the back jacket.

Peabo had back-to-back gold albums with Capitol Records, Reaching for the Sky (1977) and Crosswinds (1978). The title tracks of these albums, as well as the hit singles “Feel the Fire” and “I’m So Into You”, truly penetrated the hearts of soul fans everywhere. During his relationship with Capitol, Peabo collaborated with label mate and friend Natalie Cole for the 1979 project “We’re the Best of Friends”. A year later he worked with the phenomenal Roberta Flack for the double-LP “Live & More” (on Atlantic Records). Peabo delivered four more albums for Capitol before making a second, even bigger album with Ms. Flack titled Born to Love, a gold seller that featured the smash “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” (Top 5 R&B and #16 Pop). Peabo soon moved over to Elektra Records for four albums, the second of which, “Take No Prisoners” featured the crossover smash “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” (Top 10 Pop and R&B).

A return to Capitol in 1989 for the one-off album “All My Love”, earned Peabo his first R&B #1 single with a remake of the late Al Wilson’s “Show & Tell”. He hit the top of the R&B charts a second time with the smash “Can You Stop The Rain”, the title track of his R&B chart topping first of two albums for Columbia Records.

It was with the help of very famous Disney animated films that earned Peabo his two Grammys and two Oscars®. The first was 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast” with international pop singer Celine Dion which also topped the pop chart. The very next year, Peabo struck gold with a Grammy® and an Oscar® with Regina Belle for “A Whole New World” (Aladdin’s Theme) from Aladdin. Since these two milestones, he has been even more sought after as a guest vocalist and duet partner, resulting in work with Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga on “We Kiss in the Shadows” (#1 on the Classical Crossover chart from a new recording of “The King and I” score) and Kenny G’s “By The Time This Night is Over” (from the chart topping Contemporary Jazz CD, Breathless.

Peabo has since also starred on stage in the lead role of “Raisin,” as The Wizard in “The Wiz” and was featured in the Michigan Opera’s 100th anniversary production of “Porgy & Bess.” He also released a whopping three Christmas CDs, lovingly filled with music he’s performed for several years running in the annual touring holiday music extravaganza, The Colors of Christmas.

As Peabo continues to make feel good music and sing about love, he encourages fans of classic R&B to have their voices heard.

Tickets: $36-$78

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3DtNcw_cNo