Jerry Butler(1939-2025)
- Composer
- Actor
- Music Department
Jerry Butler got his start in the music business at age 18 when he and
his friend Curtis Mayfield formed a
singing group and named them
The Impressions. They had an almost
immediate hit with a song Butler wrote, "For Your Precious Love", which
became the group's first gold record. Nicknamed "The Iceman" by
legendary Philadelphia DJ Georgi Woods for his smooth, cool delivery
and effortless style, Butler has had numerous hits on his own since
embarking on a solo career, "He Will Break Your Heart", "Moon River",
"Only the Strong Survive" and "Never Gonna Give You Up" being among his
biggest. He has been nominated three times for a Grammy award, has won
a CLIO award for writing and producing TV commercials, and was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Rhythm & Blues
Foundation in 1994. Iin addition to his music career, Butler also has a
career in politics: he is a member of the Cook County (Illinois) Board
of Commissioners, having first been elected in 1985.
