Happy Heavenly Birthday to Jerry Butler, born December 8, 1939.
When it comes to music legends, they don’t get much bigger than the singer, songwriter and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Jerry “The Iceman” Butler.
Jerry Butler did it all. The Mississippi-born, Chicago-raised singer honed his chops as a young teen as part of the noted gospel group, the Northern Jubilee Singers. He came to national attention years later as the co-founder and original lead singer of the legendary Chicago singing group The Impressions, which he formed with another future star, Curtis Mayfield.
The Impressions first made their own first impression on the world with the beautiful ballad “For Your Precious Love,” based on a poem that Butler wrote in high school. After that hit, Butler left the group to pursue a solo career, and thought it took awhile, he became an R&B star, boasting over four dozen chart hits over the next two decades. “He Will Break Your Heart,” “Make It Easy On Yourself,” “Ain’t Understanding Mellow” and, of course, “Only The Strong Survive,” all became smashes. Butler also wrote for other artists, including the iconic Otis Redding song, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.”
By the 1980s, Butler was taking on another role: that of County Commissioner in his home of Cook County, Illinois, a role he kept for three decades, retiring in 2018. But he didn’t forget his musical roots, performing from time to time and hosting a series of PBS TV music specials that highlighted legacy music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Jerry Butler died in 2025 after battling Parkinsons Disease for several years. He lived the kind of life that most of us can dream about: an historic combination of talent, success, meaning and impact.
By Chris Rizik
