Jerry Butler, the “Iceman,” is 75 years old today. Born in Sunflower, Mississippi, Buttler is an soul singer and songwriter who was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions. Butler is also a politician. He serves as a Commissioner for Cook County, Illinois, having first been elected in 1985. As a member of this 17-member county board, he chairs the Health and Hospitals Committee, and serves as Vice Chair of the Construction Committee. The mid-1950s had a profound impact on Butlers life. He grew up poor, having lived in Chicagos Cabrini–Green housing complex. Music and the church provided solace from racial discrimination and inequality. He performed in a church choir with Curtis Mayfield. As a teenager, Butler sang in a gospel quartet called Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers, along with Mayfield. Mayfield, a guitar player, became the lone instrumentalist for the six-member Roosters group, which later became The Impressions. Inspired by Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and the Pilgrim Travelers, getting into the music industry seemed inevitable. Butlers younger brother, Billy Butler, also had a career in the music industry. Today, Billy plays guitar with Jerrys band, which tours throughout the country. Butler wrote the song For Your Precious Love and wanted to record it. Looking for recording studios, The Impressions (the original members of which were Butler, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Gooden, Fred Cash (who left early on, and later returned), and brothers Arthur and Richard Brooks, auditioned for Chess Records and Vee-Jay Records. The group eventually signed with Vee-Jay, where they released For Your Precious Love in 1958. It became The Impressions first hit and gold record. Butler was dubbed the Iceman by WDAS Philadelphia disc jockey, Georgie Woods, while performing in a Philadelphia theater. He co-wrote, with Otis Redding, the song Ive Been Loving You Too Long in 1965. Butler’s solo career had a string of hits, including the Top 10 successes He Will Break Your Heart, Find Another Girl, Im A-Telling You (all written by fellow Impression Curtis Mayfield and featuring Mayfield as harmony vocal), the million selling Only the Strong Survive, Moon River, Need To Belong (recorded with the Impressions after he went solo), Make It Easy On Yourself, Let It Be Me (with Betty Everett), Brand New Me, Aint Understanding Mellow (with Brenda Lee Eager), Hey, Western Union Man and Never Give You Up. In recent years, he has served as host of PBS TV music specials such as Doo Wop 50 and 51, Rock Rhythm and Doo Wop and Soul Spectacular: 40 years of R&B. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Butler was inducted, along with the other original members of the Impressions (Curtis Mayfield, Sam Gooden, Fred Cash, and Arthur and Richard Brooks) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here, Butler performs “Only the Strong Survive.”
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 10:33:10 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015