From CBS News
Jerry Butler, a premier soul singer of the 1960s and after whose rich, intimate baritone graced such hits as "For Your Precious Love," "Only the Strong Survive" and "Make It Easy On Yourself," has died at age 85.
Butler's niece, Yolanda Goff, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Butler died Thursday at his home in Chicago. Butler was a former Cook County board commissioner who would still perform on weekends and identify himself as Jerry "Iceman" Butler, a show business nickname given for his understated style.
A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a three-time Grammy Award nominee, Butler was a voice for two major soul music hubs: Chicago and Philadelphia. Along with childhood friend Curtis Mayfield, he helped found the Chicago-based Impressions and sang lead on the breakthrough hit "For Your Precious Love," a deeply emotional, gospel-influenced ballad that made Butler a star before the age of 20. A decade later, in the late '60s, he joined the Philadelphia-based production team of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who worked with him on "Only the Strong Survive," "Hey Western Union Man" and other hits. His albums "Ice on Ice" and "The Iceman Cometh" are regarded as early models for the danceable, string-powered productions that became the classic "Sound of Philadelphia."
8 comments:
'For Your Precious Love' sounds so dreamy. It reminded me of 'I Only Have Eyes For You' which is my favorite song featured on 'A Bronx Tale'. Sure enough the song was featured in the movie, also. RIP, Mr. Butler.
#RIP 🙏🏾 Ice Man
MAY YOUR SLEEP BE PEACEFUL, MR. BUTLER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DUTIFUL PUBLIC SERVICE IN CHICAGO AS WELL AS YOUR WONDERFUL MUSIC
That voice!
Irv Gotti Voletta Wallace and Jerry Butler this been a tough month
The King is gone. R.I.P. Mr. Jerry Butler.
RIP Gent
A voice like no other. This is true R/B.
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