Trivia

Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Impressions) in 1991.

Given the his famous "Iceman" nickname by legendary Philadelphia radio personality Georgie Woods

Co-host, with Gayle Samuels, of an infomercial for TimeLife's "Soul Story" music collection. (2006)

Cook County Commissioner of Water, still performs mostly on weekends (February 2004)

Uncle of Yolanda Goff, Kiwana Butler-Lewis, and Doris Butler.

Son of Jerry Butler, Sr. and Arvelia Andrew Butler, and Brother of Billy Butler, Dorothy Butler, and Mattie Butler.

Father of Randall Butler, and Anthony Butler.

Inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015.

His 1969 "Moody Woman" release became a Northern Soul favourite and featured at number 369 in the Northern Soul Top 500.

Butler's younger brother, Billy Butler, also had a career in the music industry, including playing guitar with Jerry's band, until his death in 2015.

The mid-1950s had a profound effect on Butler's life. 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.

Jerry Butler co-wrote, with Otis Redding, the latter's hit song "I've Been Loving You Too Long" in 1965.

After leaving the group "the Impressions" in 1960, Butler achieved over 55 Billboard Pop and R&B Chart hits as a solo artist including "He Will Break Your Heart", "Let It Be Me", and "Only the Strong Survive".

Butler served as a Commissioner for Cook County, Illinois, from 1985 to 2018. As a member of this 17-member county board, he chaired the Health and Hospitals Committee and served as Vice Chair of the Construction Committee.

With Motown, in 1976 and 1977, Butler produced and co-produced (with Paul David Wilson) two albums: Suite for the Single Girl and It All Comes Out in My Song.

He was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group the Impressions.

Butler released two successful albums, The Ice Man Cometh (1968) and Ice on Ice (1969). He collaborated on many of his successful recordings with the Philadelphia-based songwriting team of Gamble and Huff.

He grew up in the Cabrini-Green housing projects (= a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing project on the Near North Side of Chicago).

In 1972, he had a small role in the cult classic film ''The Thing With Two Heads'' as a prison guard.

Butler co-wrote the song "For Your Precious Love" (which is ranked No. 327 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time) and wanted to record a disc. 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's solo career saw a string of hits, including the Top 10 successes "He Will Break Your Heart", "Find Another Girl", "I'm 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", "Ain't Understanding Mellow" (with Brenda Lee Eager), "Hey, Western Union Man", and "Never Give You Up".

Jerry Butler also served as chairman of the board of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.

Tony Orlando and Dawn revived "He Will Break Your Heart" in 1975, with a new title, "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)", and it was more successful than Butler's original (#7), going to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Jerry Butler was an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and politician.

He 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, among others.

Has four grandchildren, and one great-grand child.