Don Bryant, the veteran Memphis soul musician who co-wrote the classic 'I Can't Stand the Rain' with his wife Ann Peebles, has died at 83. His family announced the news on Instagram on December 26, 2025, calling him a 'Memphis Soul Survivor' who loved sharing music with fans.
Born March 16, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, Don Bryant grew up in gospel music before transitioning to secular soul in the 1960s. He debuted as a solo artist with the 1969 album Precious Soul but became best known as a songwriter at Hi Records under Willie Mitchell. The label's smooth, emotionally deep sound—with its understated touch—differentiated it from Stax Records' harder edge. Bryant's credits spanned hundreds of songs for artists including Etta James, Solomon Burke, Otis Clay, and Albert King.
In 1974, he married Hi Records singer Ann Peebles, and their collaborations defined his legacy. Highlights included '99 Pounds,' 'I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down,' 'Until You Came into My Life,' and the 1973 Grammy-nominated 'I Can't Stand the Rain,' inspired by Peebles' comment during a downpour. Peaking at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100, it was hailed by John Lennon as 'the best song ever' and covered by Tina Turner, Seal, Missy Elliott (who sampled it in 'The Rain'), and Kaytranada.
Bryant supported Peebles' career for decades, but after her 2012 stroke and retirement from performing, he revived his own with critically acclaimed albums Don’t Give Up on Love (2017) and You Make Me Feel (2020) on Fat Possum Records, plus the 2021 single 'A World Like That.' In a 2017 Rolling Stone interview, he reflected: 'I wanted to be a part of it. If it wasn’t gonna be the singing, I was content with trying to do the writing.' Three years later, he added: 'Music is one of my greatest loves. When I can concentrate on that, I can take my mind off everything else.'
The family's Instagram post read: 'Don loved sharing his music and songs with all of you and it gave him such great joy to perform and record new music. He was so appreciative of everyone who was part of his musical journey and who supported him along the way.' Bryant's work endures as a cornerstone of Memphis soul's emotional storytelling.
