A Schaefer Spotlight Series Event
Series Sponsorship provided by Bonnie and Jamie Schaefer. Supporting Sponsorship provided by App State Campus Store, Broyhill Family Foundation, Appalachian Home Care LLC, The Art Cellar, Explore Boone, Goodnight Brothers, Mast General Store, and SkyBest Communications, Inc.
Possessing a beautifully rich, almost operatic voice, two-time Grammy Award winner Peabo Bryson celebrates 50 years in music. Viewed in touring and pop culture as one of music’s iconic vocalists, Bryson has earned two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, eight Grammy nominations, five gold albums, 25 top 20 singles, and six #1 singles. His newest album, Missing You, is his 20th.
Peabo’s hits include “Can You Stop the Rain,” “Reaching for the Sky,”, “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again,” “Show & Tell,” “You’re Looking Like Love To Me” with Roberta Flack, “Without You” with Regina Belle, “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” with Roberta Flack, “What You Won’t Do For Love” with Natalie Cole, “Here We Go” with Minnie Riperton, “Lovers After All” with Melissa Manchester, “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle (from Disney’s Aladdin), “Beauty & the Beast with Celine Dion (from Disney’s Beauty & the Beast).
Tickets
Contact theschaefercenter@appstate.edu, call 800-841-2787 or 828-262-4046, visit the box office at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, or purchase online.
$55 Tier 1
$45 Tier 2
$35 Tier 3
$25 App State students
App State Faculty/Staff:
10% off Tiers 1, 2 & 3. Contact Box Office for discount code.
Local Residents (Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga, and Wilkes counties):
10% off Tiers 1, 2 & 3. Zip code required at check out.
Parking
Parking can be challenging, particularly for sold-out events. Please allow extra time to park and arrive at the theatre before showtime. See map for parking recommendations.
Accommodations
App State is committed to providing an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. If accommodations are needed in order to fully participate on the basis of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Resources (828-262-3056). It is recommended that accommodation requests be made two weeks prior to the event.
About Peabo Bryson
With 20 albums to his credit, Peabo Bryson has enjoyed an unprecedented, across-the-board level of international success, Bryson has the distinction of being the first artist in music history to have separate records topping four different charts.
Acclaim and recognition are nothing new for this multi-talented singer, songwriter and producer. Born April 13, 1951, in Greenville, SC, Bryson spent much of his childhood on his grandfather’s farm in Maudlin, SC. “I have two sisters and a brother, but I’m the oldest male in the family, so I was taught to work and work hard!”
Bryson’s family not only instilled in him his work ethic, but a love for music as well. “My mother was a serious music lover. Whenever there was somebody great in town, she’d drag us along to catch their act. I have seen most of the greats of that period — Sam Cooke, Little Richard and even Billie Holiday. Sam Cooke was a great influence on me. His voice had a pure quality — straight from-the-heart.”
“I think the sensitivity in my songs stems from my early childhood. I was raised by women — my grandmother, until she died, and my mother. My grandmother was a woman who lived and loved with incredible passion.”
For Missing You — the 20th album of his career, his first in eight years and his first for Peak Records — Peabo Bryson continued to do what he does best on 11 tracks that showcase the broad palette of his skills. On “Count on Me” (produced by The Heavyweights) and “To Love About” (on which Peabo plays some driving acoustic lead guitar), Peabo proves he still has the goods to gracefully contend with today’s younger R&B stalwarts. The title song, “Missing You,” was recorded as a tribute to his mother (Marie) and sister (Agnes) who have both passed away, and for his son-in-law who was serving in Iraq. Elsewhere, smoothies such as “Heavenly” and “Don’t Give Your Heart” (produced by Barry J. Eastmond) and “My Last Goodbye” (produced by Peabo and Barry) reveal that, ultimately, he is in a class of his own.
An avid golfer, Peabo will never turn down a chance to “hit a few balls,” and has participated in numerous tournaments. To his family, he is simply a big brother, dedicated father and, most importantly, “Pop-Pop, handsome singer of love ballads.”
Peabo Bryson is, at his intimate best, a legendary vocalist offering a timeless mix of pop and soul as only he can. Bryson has amassed a loyal fan base, critical acclaim and an avalanche of awards by being one of the “truly best friends” a song could ever have.
