Jerry Butler Dies: The Impressions Singer Who Had Solo Hits And Later Went Into Chicago Politics Was 85
deadline.comJerry “The Iceman” Butler, who had a national hit with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act The Impressions before leaving for a successful solo career and later entering Chicago politics, died Thursday at his home, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.
He was 85. No cause of death was reported, but Butler had been struggling with Parkinson’s disease. Born on December 8, 1939 in Chicago, Butler met Curtis Mayfield in the early 1950s, and they later teamed with Sam Gooden and brothers Richard and Arthur Brooks in a doo-wop group before changing their name to The Impressions and signing with Vee-Jay Records.
The group hit with its first single, 1958’s “For Your Precious Love,” driven by Butler’s soulful lead vocal. Co-written by Butler and Brooks brothers, reached No.
11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the soul chart. It ranked No. 335 on Rolling Stone‘s 2003 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was covered by the likes of Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson with Count Basie, Aaron Neville and others.
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