On the evening of Feb. 20, Jerry Butler, also known as ‘The Iceman,’ died at the age of 85 in Chicago in his home due to Parkinson’s disease, his assistant confirmed.
Born on Dec. 8, 1939, in Sunflower, Miss., he moved to Chicago, Ill., at the age of three. His parents were sharecroppers in Sunflower but sought a better life with more career opportunities, motivating the family to move. His father found a job as a sanitation worker, and his mother was a devout churchgoer, as they lived in the Cabrini-Green Housing Projects.
Butler’s career gained traction in 1958 as he was the original lead singer of the band, the Impressions, the vocalist had a plethora of accomplishments such as his long run as a politician from 1985 to 2018; he served as a commissioner for Cook County, Illinois.
Butler’s early career beginnings developed through his connection with his good friend Curtis Mayfield. At the age of 18, their passion for music evolved into a musical quintet, Jerry Butler and the Impressions. The duo joined Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, whose original group name was the Roosters. He wrote the song titled “For Your Precious Love” that gained commercial success, becoming a gold record that sold 500 thousand copies.
Butler embarked on a three-decade solo career with multiple platinum hit records, over 50 albums, and even Grammy award nominations. DJ Georgi Woods nicknamed Butler “The Iceman” due to his silky, deep, smooth baritone vocal ability. Butler’s solo hits include “He Will Break Your Heart,” “Moon River,” “Never Gonna Give You Up,” “Hey Western Union Man,” “Brand New Me,” “Only The Strong Survive,” and “Ain’t Understanding Mellow”. The vocalist has been nominated for three Grammys, two Billboard awards, and many others. Butler was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and became chairman of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994.
After his singing career, Butler developed a knack for politics in the 1980s as he was inspired by the Civil Rights movement. Harold Washington, Chicago’s first African American mayor, supported Butler’s pursuits of a career in politics as he was first elected as Cook County’s Commissioner in 1985. Butler has twin sons with his wife Annette, whom he married in 1959. She passed away in 2019. Randall and Anthony, their twin sons, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild survive him.