Jerry “The Iceman” Butler, who had a national hit with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act The Impressions before leaving for a successful solo career and later entering Chicago politics, died Thursday at his home, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. He was 85. No cause of death was reported, but Butler had been struggling with Parkinson’s disease.
Butler met Curtis Mayfield in the early 1950s, and they later teamed with Sam Gooden and brothers Richard and Arthur Brooks in a doo-wop group before changing their name to The Impressions and signing with Vee-Jay Records. The group hit with its first single, 1958’s “For Your Precious Love,” driven by Butler’s soulful lead vocal. Co-written by Butler and Brooks brothers, reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the soul chart. It ranked No. 335 on Rolling Stone‘s 2003 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was covered by the likes of Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson with Count Basie, Aaron Neville and others.
Butler and the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Mayfield went on to an influential solo career that included hits “Freddie’s Dead” and “Superfly.” He was paralyzed in 1990 after a light tower fell on him before a concert and died in 1999.
DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:
Butler left the group soon after for a solo career and scored a 1960 Top 10 hit with “He Will Break Your Heart” and had a hit cover in “Moon River” the following year. He would place more than three dozen singles on the pop chart through 1977, led by “Let It Be Me,” his 1964 duet with Betty Everett that reached No. 5, and his biggest hit, “Only the Strong Survive,” which soared to No. 4 and went gold in 1969.
Having moved to Mercury Records in 1967 and working with the legendary songwriting duo of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, he also made the Top 20 with 1968’s “Never Give You Up” and “Hey, Western Union Man” and “What’s the Use of Breaking Up?” in 1969 and later scored a second gold single with his Brenda Lee Eager duet “Ain’t Misunderstanding Mellow,” which peaked at No. 21 in 1971.
After his music career, Butler became the face of PBS’ numerous doo-wop specials and was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners, where he served for more than three decades.
Butler is survived by sons Anthony and Randy, four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Discover more from Latest News Today
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.