Legendary R&B singer and Chicago politician Jerry Butler dies aged 85

Soul singer and Illinois politician Jerry Butler has died, aged 85.

A family friend confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times that Butler had passed away at his Chicago home on Thursday (February 20). No cause of death was given, but he had been living with Parkinson’s disease.

Born in Mississippi and raised in Chicago, Butler originally trained to be a chef, but ended up contributing vocals to an early iteration of the Impressions after meeting Curtis Mayfield in the mid-1950s.

He performed with the group for three years and wrote their 1958 hit ‘For Your Precious Love’ Eventually, which reached No 11 in the US charts that year. He then left to embark on a solo career, and Mayfield began fronting the group.

After his amicable departure from the Impressions, Butler continued writing with Mayfield, with the two penning Butler’s 1960 hit ‘He Will Break Your Heart’, and Otis Redding’s ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long’ – the latter which would be covered by Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Jason Isbell, Cat Power and the Rolling Stones.

Butler later partnered with Philadelphia soul songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, forging the way for his classic 1962 album ‘The Ice Man Cometh’, which featured hits ‘Only the Strong Survive’ and ‘Never Give You Up’.

In the 70s, Butler began his political career, later becoming the board commissioner of Cook County in his home state of Illinois, in 1994.

His contributions to music have been widely recognised: In 1991 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Impressions, and in 2015 he entered the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame as a solo artist before they honoured him with a lifetime achievement award in 2023.

As per the Chicago Sun-Times, Smokey Robinson paid tribute to Butler, calling him “one of the great voices of our time,” adding, “He’s a great person, and I love him.”

Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff said, in a joint statement cited by Rolling Stone, “We deeply and sincerely mourn the loss of our dear and longtime friend the great Jerry Butler aka ‘The Iceman’ for his cool, smooth vocals and demeanor. He was a one of a kind music legend!”