Don Varner

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Varner grew up in the same neighborhood as Eddie Kendricks, co-founder of The Temptations.^[1] Varner moved to Chicago after high school to pursue his music career but returned to Alabama after six years to record at Rick Hall's FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals.^[1] He wrote songs including "I Keep Holdin' On" for Sam & Dave (with William Crump). Varner also worked with Quin Ivy in Sheffield, Alabama^[1] and released several songs including "Masquerade"(1967), "Down in Texas"(1967),^[2] and "Tear Stained Face" on the South Camp and Quinvy labels.

Varner did not release many recordings but performed numerous live shows in the South with other major soul performers.^[1] He moved to California in the 1980s and toured as the lead singer of the Johnny Otis Show.^[1] He toured numerous European music festivals in 1985. In his later career, he began to record gospel music. He died in Moreno Valley, California in 2002 of a heart attack at the age of 59. An album of his music from 1968 to 1974 entitled Finally Go Over! was released posthumously.