WIKIPEDIA:

“ Peabo Bryson (born Robert Peapo Bryson, April 13, 1951, given name changed from "Robert" to Peabo c. 1965) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina. He is well known for singing soft-rock ballads (often as a duo with female singers) and his contribution to several Disney animated feature soundtracks.

Career
As one of the oldest of three siblings, two sisters and a brother, he spent much of his childhood on his grandfather's farm in Mauldin, South Carolina. His love for music stemmed from his mother, who often took the family to concerts of well known African-American artists at the time, such as Sam Cooke, Little Richard and Billie Holiday.
At age 14, Bryson marked his professional debut 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 he left home to tour the chitlin' circuit with another local band, Moses Dillard and the Textile Display. 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 [......] ”

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