Don Bryant, 83, Southern soul singer and co-writer of 'I Can't Stand the Rain,' dies

Don Bryant, a soul singer and songwriter who was a longtime collaborator and husband of singer Ann Peebles, died on Friday, Dec. 28, 2025, at the age of 83, a verified social media account announced. The account did not specify a cause of death or where he died.

Mr. Bryant co-wrote the 1973 hit "I Can’t Stand the Rain" with Ms. Peebles and Bernard Miller; the song, sung by Ms. Peebles, became a Top 40 hit and is widely covered and sampled. The couple also worked on songs including "Trouble, Heartaches & Sadness" (1971), later sampled on GZA’s track "Shadowboxin'," "99 Pounds" (1971) and "Do I Need You" (1974), the year they were married. In 2019 they became the first couple to be inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

Born in Memphis in April 1942 (sources disagree on whether it was April 2 or April 4), Mr. Bryant rose from singing in church choirs to become a main vocal act at Hi Records in the 1960s before shifting toward songwriting after Ms. Peebles emerged. In later life he returned to performing, releasing the albums Don’t Give Up on Love in 2017 and You Make Me Feel in 2020, appearing on NPR’s Tiny Desk and receiving strong praise from The Commercial Appeal. A complete list of his survivors was not immediately available.

Key Topics

Culture, Don Bryant, Ann Peebles, Hi Records, Memphis, Willie Mitchell