When I was little, my dad called me “T-Bo,” a combination of the first letter in my middle name & that country/Black family way of everybody having to have a nickname. I was T-Bo. Juan was “Red.” My lil cousins – “Bear,” “Peter,” Run Away”…see where this is headed?

Thank God nobody allowed them to actually name me “Teabo.”

Here’s to Robert Peabo Bryson…mainly because as I’ve been driving the past few nights & listening to the radio, his music has popped up. See, here in the blogsphere, that’s what we call a “sign,” divine intervention saying “write about this here boy.”

What he didn’t receive in the form of a cool name, he was reimbursed by being the recipient of one of the most beautiful voices, perfectly built for ballads. With a name that memorable & a voice that’s even more distinctive, it’s a shame that his name isn’t called alongside Luther, Barry & other one-name, soul wonderkinds.

But we both could have faired much worse.

He’s had a stellar career & been a mainstay on radio frequencies for years, specifically during your local Quiet Storm.

And I could’ve been nicknamed “Junebug.”

Peabo Bryson – I’m So Into You

This post is brought to you & inspired by Smitty’s “Into You,” produced by Hi-Tek.