Don Bryant

Best known as a staff songwriter under Willie Mitchell at Hi Records and the husband of Hi star Ann Peebles, Don Bryant was also a fine, underappreciated singer in his own right. In his soul recordings of the '60s, Bryant showed off a passionate style that fused the punch of Wilson Pickett with the smoother but emotionally incisive warmth of Joe Tex, as captured on his 1969 album Precious Soul. He sounded rougher and more emphatic on his later gospel material, especially 2000's It's All in the World, which was steeped in contemporary R&B sounds. Bryant made an impressive return to his roots with 2017's Don't Give Up on Love and 2020's You Make Me Feel, with arrangements and production in the manner of his vintage Hi Records sides and showing his voice was still in fine shape. Bryant passed away on December 26, 2025