Express Yourself! Features
PEABO BRYSON
By Leon Petrossian
Peabo Bryson is one of the most soulful singers you will ever encounter. If you are in a
love relationship that is going to the top then you also must listen to his music; or if you
are having problems in the love department, Peabo can get you through them with his
soulful ballads. If you want to spend a special night alone with that someone special then
slip on one of Peabo's CDs. The night is yours with some of his most romantic ballads:
check out "Feel The Fire," "I'm So Into You," "Let The Feeling Flow," "Tonight, I
Celebrate My Love," or "A Lover's Paradise."
Peabo Bryson was born in 1951 in Greenville, South Carolina. Involved with music at an
early age, in high school was in a band named Al Freeman and the Upsetters. After this
group, Peabo joined Moses Dillard who was from Peabo's hometown. Leaving Moses in
the early seventies, Peabo came out in 1975 with a Bang Records single, "Disco Queen."
It didn't fair too well and Peabo later called it a complete failure of a song. Personally, l
actually own a promo 45 single of this song and I don't think it is that bad and I consider it
among the first disco songs of that era. Working in the seventies with Bang records led
Peabo to Michael Zager, another Bang artist. They got together in 1976 and released "Do
It With Feeling."
The single gave Peabo a chance to record his own solo album for Bullet Records, a
subsidiary of the Atlanta-based Bang label: in 1976, his self-titled debut album was
released and guests on his album ranged from Ray Parker Jr. to Luther Vandross. Some
songs from the album made the R&B singles chart which led to a call from Capitol
Records who signed Peabo to the label in 1978. In February of that year, "Reaching For
The Sky" (with the standout singles 'Feel The Fire' and the title track). In December of '78,
Peabo was back with "Crosswinds," another classic album: in my opinion, 'I'm So Into
You' and 'Crosswinds' are two of the great songs on that album.
In 1979 Peabo teamed up with labelmate Natalie Cole for an album "We're The Best Of
Friends," which included the songs 'Gimme Some Time' and 'What You Won't Do For
Love.' The 80's proved a great decade for Peabo. Albums "Paradise", "I Am Love","Turn
The Hands Of Time", "Live and More with Roberta Flack", "Don't Play With Fire" and
"Born To Love" were released between 1980-83. In 1984, Peabo signed with Elektra
Records, releasing three albums - "Straight From The Heart", "Take No Prisoners" and
"Quiet Storm." In 1989 he returned to Capitol for the "All Of My Love" album; from
1991-94, he made two albums with Columbia Records, "Can't Stop The Rain" and
"Through The Fire" and 1998 he recorded "Unconditional Love" on Private Music for a
whole new generation of pop and soul fans.
Peabo has touched the lives of many fans throughout the world. His voice is pure honey,
honey that is rich but smooth. I listen to his music and never get tired or feel his music is
outdated. When I listen to his first Capitol album it brings me back to when I was five
years old back in 1978. My father - who has met many famous entertainers in his life from
being in the nightclub and hotel business from the '60s to the 80's - would bring home
promo records that labels use to send to his nightclub in Washington D.C. One promo
was of Peabo's "Reaching For The Sky" album: I loved the songs 'Feel The Fire' and 'A
Fool Already Knows.' I used to literally rock to the music (rolling back and forth on the
bed) and his voice was always so relaxing for me. He has been and will always be a
favorite singer to me. Thank you Peabo for all the great music through the years.
You can reach Leon by e-mail at: Sarolevon72@aol.com
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