Artist description Don Varner is a performing and recording artist of Soul Music, Rythm and Blues, Blues and Contemporary Gospel. His unique voice, style and talent have left a lasting mark in the world of Soul Music with titles like Tear Stained Face, Down In Texas, Power Of Love and many others, giving him the status of a Legend in the genre among audiences in Europe and Japan.

Music Style Soul, Rythm And Blues, Blues, Gospel

Artist History Don Varner was born in Birmingham (Alabama) on June 25th 1943 and started to write and perform as a student in High School, in the very late 50s. Don and his group were noticed by a Manager during their senior year. After graduating, they started to go on the road. By the time the group broke up, Don had acquired a solid stage experience and went on with a solo career. He performed along with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard, Billy Preston and many of the greatest Don was very active as a songwwriter and a performer, always where things were happening. He left Alabama for Chicago where he spent six years. During this time, he was very visible on the club scene and never stopped performing. He came back to Alabama at a time when major entertainers, like the Temptations, had been discovered there among many, and also when the Muscle Shoals sound “was it”. After hearing one of his recordings, Quin Ivy put Don on his label. Don had contacts which allowed him to meet many entertainers and executives from major record companies. One of the songs co-written by Don, which Jerry Wexler, from Atlantic Records liked, was recorded by Sam and Dave at Muscle shoals. Of all the recordings that Don Varner did in Muscle Shoals, four titles were released on Quinvy’s label and distributed by South Camp. They were Tear Stained Face and Mojo Mama, the second one Masquerade and Down in Texas. At the time, Don was produced by Eddie Hinton and recorded with the studio musicians, Jimmy Johnson, David Hood, Spooner Oldham, Roger Hawkins, also of world fame. Two of his titles, Mojo Mama and Handshakin’, were released on Diamond Records and, through it all, never stopped performing on stage. In 1980, Don moved to Los Angeles, California, where he started a record label, Roaring Records, and released titles that he produced himself. In 1985, Don toured all the major European summer festivals, nice, Vienne, Montreux, La Hague, Pori and Canada, along with artists like B. B. King, Ray Charles, Fats Domino and Johnny Otis. In 1987, Don started to write Gospel Music. He defined his own style in that genre too, blending his powerful voice with years of Soul Music and the intensity of the message of the lyrics, making the final result a very unique musical experience. In 1989, Charly Records, a U. K. label, released a set of five LPs which included recordings never released before, done in Muscle Shoals. They included classics such as Down In Texas, Home For The Summer and He Kept On Talking written by Jerry Williams. Today, Don is also a publisher with Ceevee Music and Gospel Truth Music Publishing, has his own label, Retour Records, on which he has released seven CDs. As a performer and recording artist, Don has the status of a legend of Soul Music, specially among European audiences where his records never stopped being played. His Title “Tear Stained Face” was listed in Kev Roberts book “The 500 greatest Soul hits” recently published and has never stopped being played in clubs, radios in Great Britain where Don Varner enjoys the status of “a cult” in Northern Soul. His explosive style allows him to fill a stage all by himself. His style has two components that cross any line: talent and quality, for which the public at large is still looking and sensitive to. A long time expert in Soul Music wrote about Don Varner: “...-where conflicts between sound quality and “feel” have been found, SOUL wins out every time.”

Instruments Vocals by Don Varner

Albums Heart And Soul Vol. 1 Heart And Soul Vol. 2 New Day

Press Reviews about Mojo Mama: If you want spine loosening soul ........I said SOUL...music.....give Don a try great soul voice........tight fit backing..yeah...It MOVES ME! Soundwerkz Media about Laying In The Gap: Deeply soulful blues, a "live" recording, simple and moving, traditional country/southern blues, for fans of this genre, I recommend checking it out for sure!

Additional Info For booking information go to http://www.donvarneronline.com

Location Moreno Valley, California - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).