Jerry Butler

Biography

Jerry Butler came into the world on December 8, 1939, in Sunflower, Mississippi. His family relocated to Chicago when he was just three, and he spent his childhood in the Cabrini-Green housing projects. The mid-1950s shaped him deeply. He sang alongside Curtis Mayfield in a church choir, and as a teen, the two were part of a gospel quartet called the Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers.

Mayfield, who played guitar, was the sole instrumentalist for the six-member Roosters group, which eventually evolved into the Impressions. Inspired by acts like Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, and the Pilgrim Travelers, a music career felt like a natural path. Butler's younger brother, Billy, also worked in music, playing guitar in Jerry's band until his death in 2015. Butler co-wrote "For Your Precious Love," a song later ranked number 327 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and he wanted to cut a record.

Early recordings

The Impressions—whose original lineup included Butler, Mayfield, Sam Gooden, Fred Cash (who left early but later returned), and brothers Arthur and Richard Brooks—auditioned for Chess Records and Vee-Jay Records. They signed with Vee-Jay, releasing "For Your Precious Love" in 1958. It became the group's first hit and a gold record. While performing at a Philadelphia theater, WDAS disc jockey Georgie Woods gave Butler the nickname "Iceman."

Solo career

In 1960, Butler put out the single "He Will Break Your Heart," which reached number 7 on the Billboard pop chart. He co-wrote Otis Redding's hit "I've Been Loving You Too Long" with Redding in 1965. Butler's solo career produced a steady stream of hits, including Top 10 songs like "He Will Break Your Heart," "Find Another Girl," and "I'm A-Telling You" (all co-written with Mayfield, who also sang harmony), plus the million-seller "Only the Strong Survive," "Moon River," "Need To Belong" (recorded with the Impressions after he went solo), "Make It Easy on Yourself," "Let It Be Me" with Betty Everett, "Brand New Me," "Ain't Understanding Mellow" with Brenda Lee Eager, "Hey, Western Union Man," and "Never Give You Up."

Did You Know?

• Butler served as a Cook County Commissioner from 1985 to 2018, chairing the Health and Hospitals Committee.
• His 1969 song "Moody Woman" became a Northern Soul favourite, ranking number 369 in the Northern Soul Top 500.
• Butler had a small role as a prison guard in the 1972 cult classic film The Thing with Two Heads.