Jerry Butler, a beloved soul singer and senior politician from Illinois, passed away at his Chicago home on February 20 at the age of 85. The Chicago Sun-Times reported his death, noting that he had been battling Parkinson’s disease.
Born in Mississippi to sharecropper parents and raised in Chicago, Butler’s musical journey began when he joined the Impressions in the mid-1950s, where they achieved success with the hit song “For Your Precious Love.” After leaving the group to pursue a solo career, Butler found success in the world of R&B with hits like “Only the Strong Survive” and “Never Give You Up” produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
Despite a period of musical hiatus in the 1970s, Butler transitioned into a career in politics and became a board commissioner in Cook County, Illinois. Throughout his life, he received numerous accolades for his contributions to the music industry, including inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
In remembrance of Butler, Smokey Robinson described him as “one of the great voices of our time,” while Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff referred to him as a “one of a kind music legend.” Butler’s impact on the music world will always be remembered and cherished by fans and fellow musicians alike.
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