Born in Greenville, S.C. in 1951, Bryson was only 14 when he began to hone his singing talents. He joined Al Freeman and the Upsetters in 1965 and later in 1968, he sang with Moses Dillard and the Tex-Town Display where he stayed for five years. He accepted a position at Bang Records in Atlanta where his role as producer and composer helped him make important advances in his singing career, while also filling a spot in Michael Zager's Moon Band. Bryson released several singles on the label's subsidiary, Bullet Records, including "Underground Music," "Do It With Feeling," "Just Another Day" and "I Can Make it Better." Though these singles helped bring his name to the public, it wasn't until 1978 that Bryson became a household name with his debut, Reaching for the Sky. All the songs released at Bullet were moderate hits, however, when an opportunity opened up at Capitol Records in the mid-'70s, Bryson really bit the bullet. Reaching for the Sky went gold while the title track peaked at No. 6 on the R&B charts. He remained in the Moon Band until 1979, when another single, "I'm So Into You," reached the No. 2 spot on the charts, paving the way for his prolific solo career. By 1983, his sultry voice had become unmistakable due to the unforgettable radio hit "Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You." His career continued to flourish and Bryson carved out a couple of niches in the R&B industry both as a solo performer and the hearty half of several popular duets. He has worked with some of the industry's top artists including Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack and Melissa Manchester. In 1984, he moved to Elektra and enjoyed further success with "If Ever You're In My Arms Again." In 1994, he released Through the Fire which included the popular theme to Disney's Alladin, "A Whole New World."
|