Celine Dion expresses heartbreak at devastating death of 'wonderful' Peabo Bryson

Celine Dion shared an emotional tribute on Instagram on June 2 when she paid tribute to a man she called "wonderful," and "generous."

The French-Canadian superstar posted a throwback photo of herself alongside Peabo Bryson after his death was announced at the age of 75.

The Grammy-winning Disney legend and R&B icon passed away after suffering a stroke and Celine was one of the many stars who remembered him with fondness.

Celine's tribute

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Celine — who duetted with Peabo for Disney’s Beauty And The Beast — wrote: "I'm heartbroken to heart that we lost Peabo Bryson today. His incredible voice and his kind spirit embodied the beauty of song and performance."

She reflected on their 1991 collaboration for the Disney movie and said: "He made me so comfortable, as I was just learning to sing in English. He will remain for me always as a real symbol of joy that music has brought to my life. His voice and talent will be missed.

"My heart is with your family, and may you rest in peace Peabo. Love, Celine xx."

Peaceful death

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A statement from Peabo's representative said he "transitioned peacefully."

His family added: "We are tremendously moved by the outpouring of love, prayers and support from fans, friends, and colleagues around the world. While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing how deeply Peabo was loved and how many lives were touched by his voice and his generous spirit. His legacy and music will live on for generations to come." 

Working with Celine

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Peabo remembered working with Celine and later recalled to CBC: "When you're a great singer like [Céline], oftentimes you find yourself in situations where you have to dial back.

"I learned that from doing duets. The key to it is to play to your duet partner's strengths and weaknesses equally. So essentially that renders into a situation where there are no weaknesses because you're playing to them both equally."

"I looked across at her, and she looked back at me, and what went on from the point of becoming relaxed was extremely intimate," he added. "You can't buy that. You can record it, though."