Don Bryant

Don Bryant

Genres: soul, 60s, Southern Soul, singer-songwriter, rnb

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About Don Bryant

Don Bryant (born Donald Maurice Bryant in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4 April 1942; died 26 December 2025) was an American rhythm and blues singer remembered primarily for his songwriting. He co-wrote the 1973 US Top 40 hit "I Can't Stand the Rain" with Ann Peebles (whom he married the following year). Bryant began singing in church at age five, and soon joined his father's family vocal group. He eventually formed a gospel quartet for a high school radio show, finding success singing secular pop songs on Dick “Cane” Cole’s popular WLOK show. The quartet, performing as The Four Kings, would part with Cole to become the front band for Willie Mitchell, with Bryant as the lead singer. In 1960, the still teenage Bryant was offered a shot at songwriting, penning "I Got To Know" for The 5 Royales. He wrote material for other artists at Hi Records while continuing to record with The Four Kings and as a solo artist, resulting in a 1969 solo album. The success of Al Green, Otis Clay, and other vocalists at Hi meant Bryant's singing career took a backseat to writing, joining Earl Randle, Dan Greer, and Darryl Carter as Hi's top staff writers. Bryant is credited on as many as 154 titles. By 1970, Willie Mitchell had begun to pair Bryant with his newest act, a young Ann Peebles, for whom he wrote "99 Pounds" and "Do I Need You". The pair co-wrote the US Top 40 hit "I Can't Stand the Rain" in 1973, and were married the following year. Bryant spent much of the subsequent decade writing and opening for Peebles, with his final Hi single coming in 1981, a duet with his wife called "Mon Belle-Amour". Bryant focused mainly on gospel albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and ultimately stopped performing altogether outside of church services. In the 2010s, Bryant was invited to perform as a vocalist with Memphis-based soul homage outfit The Bo-Keys. After some convincing from Grimes, Bryant accepted and, within a few months, found the inspiration to return to the studio. Bryant and The Bo-Keys recorded Don't Give Up on Love in late 2016, which was released on the Fat Possum label in 2017. The album featured an array of Bryant's past triumphs as well as new material. In 2020, Bryant and the Bo-Keys collaborated again on the Fat Possum Records release You Make Me Feel which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

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