His next album, Reaching for the Sky, shot Bryson to stardom. The song "Feel the Fire" remains for many fans the signature work of Bryson's career. The album put the world on notice that Bryson belonged among a legendary group of soul balladeers that dominated R&B during the time and included the likes of Teddy Pendergrass and Al Green. Bryson would release three more albums that would bring him modest success. Things changed dramatically in the early 1980s with the release of I am Love that contained the hit "Let the Feeling Flow." Bryson followed that with 1983's "Tonight I Celebrate my Love," a duet album with Asheville native Roberta Flack. The album yielded four hit singles. And Bryson would follow with "Straight from the Heart," which produced the No. 1 pop hit for 1984, "If Ever You're in my Arms Again."

Bryson would make another mark in film, as he teamed with Celine Dion on the title song for the Disney film "Beauty and the Beast" and with Regina Belle on "A Whole New World" from the movie "Aladdin."

In all Bryson would release 21 albums, win numerous Grammys and two Academy Awards. In February 1992, he became the first artist in history to have separate records atop four different charts. WJMZ salutes the career accomplishments of Greenville native Peabo Bryson, one of the giants of R&B music.