Jerry Butler, The Impressions singer, dead at 85
Jerry Butler, The Impressions vocalist and founder with Curtis Mayfield, has died at 85 in a care home in Chicago. He also served as a local politician.
(Credit: Press)
Music » Music News
Fri 21 February 2025 17:19, UK
Jerry Butler, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 alongside The Impressions, has died aged 85.
Butler’s niece, Yolanda Geoff, has confirmed his death. In a statement issued to the Chicago Sun-Times, she said, “He was very important to both music and to the community, and he will be missed. We hope the city of Chicago recognizes the legacy he leaves behind.”
No cause of death has been provided, however, it was revealed that the musician passed away in a care home in his native Chicago on February 20th.
Music was part of his life from an early age when he joined a child’s choir and met Curtis Mayfield, with who he later formed The Impressions. They enjoyed their first hit in 1958 with a cover version of ‘For Your Precious Love,’ which reached 11th position on the Billboard 100.
Two years later, Butler departed the group to embark upon a solo career which was also paved with gold and earned him the nickname of ‘The Iceman’. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, he had dozens of chart hits, including ‘Only The Strong Survive’, ‘Make It Easy on Yourself’ and ‘He Will Break Your Heart’.
In 2022, Bruce Springsteen released an album of R&B covers titled Only The Strong Survive in homage to Butler’s track, a cover of which also features on the record. Additionally, the collection of songs includes Springsteen’s take on Butler’s ‘Hey Western Union Man’.
Upon release, Springsteen told Rolling Stone: “I got into Jerry Butler over the past six months in a way I never had before. I realized what a great singer and stylist he was.”
Outside of his music career, Butler served as Cook Country Board Commissioner between 1985 and 2018 before retiring from public office.
Related Topics
Curtis MayfieldRock and Roll Hall of Fame