Jerry “The Iceman” Butler, who had a nationwide hit with Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame act The Impressions earlier than leaving for a profitable solo profession and later getting into Chicago politics, died Thursday at his dwelling, The Chicago Solar-Occasions reported. He was 85. No reason for demise was reported, however Butler had been scuffling with Parkinson’s illness.
Butler met Curtis Mayfield within the early Fifties, they usually later teamed with Sam Gooden and brothers Richard and Arthur Brooks in a doo-wop group earlier than altering their title to The Impressions and signing with Vee-Jay Data. The group hit with its first single, 1958’s “For Your Valuable Love,” pushed by Butler’s soulful lead vocal. Co-written by Butler and Brooks brothers, reached No. 11 on the Billboard Scorching 100 and No. 3 on the soul chart. It ranked No. 335 on Rolling Stone‘s 2003 listing of The five hundred Best Songs of All Time and was lined by the likes of Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson with Depend Basie, Aaron Neville and others.
Butler and the group had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 1991. Mayfield went on to an influential solo profession that included hits “Freddie’s Useless” and “Superfly.” He was paralyzed in 1990 after a light-weight tower fell on him earlier than a live performance and died in 1999.
DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:
Butler left the group quickly after for a solo profession and scored a 1960 Prime 10 hit with “He Will Break Your Coronary heart” — which topped the R&B chart — and had a success cowl in “Moon River” the next yr. He would place greater than three dozen singles on the pop chart by 1977, led by “Let It Be Me,” his 1964 duet with Betty Everett that reached No. 5, and his largest hit, “Solely the Robust Survive,” which soared to No. 4 pop and No. 1 R&B and went gold in 1969.
Having moved to Mercury Data in 1967 and dealing with the legendary songwriting duo of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, he additionally made the Prime 20 with 1968’s “By no means Give You Up” and “Hey, Western Union Man” — one other R&B chart-topper — and “What’s the Use of Breaking Up?” in 1969 and later scored a second gold single together with his Brenda Lee Keen duet “Ain’t Misunderstanding Mellow,” which peaked at No. 21 in 1971.
After his music profession, Butler turned the face of PBS’ quite a few doo-wop specials and was elected to the Cook dinner County Board of Commissioners, the place he served for greater than three many years.
Butler is survived by sons Anthony and Randy, 4 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
