Jerry Butler, Impressions singer known as the Iceman, dies at 85: Reports
Jerry Butler, Impressions singer known as the Iceman, dies at 85: Reports
Jerry Butler, cofounder of the Impressions and baritone singer/songwriter known for hits such as "For Your Precious Love" and "Only The Strong Survive," has reportedly died. He was 85.
The soul musician, who earned two Grammy nods in his lifetime, died Thursday at his Chicago home, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, The New York Times and The Washington Post. The Post and the Sun-Times cited Butler's family members, while the Times received confirmation from his assistant. They reported he had been living with Parkinson's disease.
A representative for Illinois' Cook County, which includes Chicago, mourned the passing of the "dedicated public servant," who served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners for three decades.
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry 'The Iceman' Butler, a legendary artist, dedicated public servant, and beloved member of our Cook County community," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement shared with USA TODAY Friday. His "contributions to music and public service are immeasurable. As a founding member of The Impressions, his distinguished voice helped shape the sound of R&B and soul, leaving an indelible mark on American music.
"Jerry Butler was more than a musical icon," Preckwinkle's statement continued. "As a Cook County Commissioner from 1985 to 2018, he worked tirelessly to expand healthcare access, improve infrastructure, and advocate for policies that strengthened our communities. His leadership as Chair of the Health and Hospitals Committee helped ensure that critical resources reached those in need."
From the Impressions to 'The Iceman'
The Missouri-born talent was 3 years old when his parents — who were sharecroppers, according to the Sun-Times and the Post — moved the family to Chicago as part of what's now known as the Great Migration.
In the late 1950s, he formed the Impressions with his childhood church friend Curtis Mayfield, who died in 1999.
They'd originally set out on a musical venture with a doo-wop group called the Roosters in 1957. Alongside members Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks and Art Brooks, the following year they signed with a local music label, Vee-Jay Records.
Branded as Jerry Butler & the Impressions, they released their debut single, 'For Your Precious Love,' and "Come Back My Love" together. While the Impressions – with Fred Cash on board – went on to become the "sound of the civil rights movement" per the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Butler struck out on his own as a solo artist in 1960. The split was reportedly rooted in tensions surrounding his name being top billed in the group's marketing.
Butler then released 1960's "He Will Break Your Heart," cowritten with Mayfield, which rose up the Billboard charts and earned him a No. 7 spot on the Hot 100. It also spent seven weeks in the top spot on the R&B charts. Over the course of his career, two more of his songs – the Betty Everett duet "Let It Be Me" as well as his collaboration with songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff "Only The Strong Survive" – charted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, with a total 38 tracks making it on the list throughout his career.
"Only the Strong Survive" became Butler's highest-charting hit, per Billboard, and went on to be covered by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley and Rod Stewart.
Along the way, Butler also picked up the nickname "The Iceman," a descriptor for his understated nature that is largely attributed to Philadelphia-based DJ Georgie Woods.
In 1991, Butler was inducted along with the other members of the Impressions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
How Jerry Butler inspired Bruce Springsteen
Speaking with the Asbury Park Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2022, Springsteen revealed he had become a fan of Butler's due to his manager's recommendation, eventually naming his album after the 1960s hit.
"I wasn't super familiar with Jerry Butler until I went searching for material for this record," Springsteen said of his 2022 album "Only the Strong Survive."
"(Manager) Jon Landau was the huge Jerry Butler fan and he suggested 'Hey, Western Union Man,' and I said I don't know (it). I listened to it. It was kind of complicated and then I got into it really deeply," he said, adding that the record was going to be called either "Soul Days" of "Nightshift" before he was inspired to use the title of Butler's hit.
"I'm thinking about doing another (record) and the next one I do I'm going to call 'Only the Strong Survive.' Jon said it's a great title; we've got to use that now," Springsteen said. "So I came back and spent the day, cut the song and through that I got introduced into more Jerry Butler stuff and I've cut more of his things since then."
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