Jerry Butler

Born in Sunflower, Mississippi, Jerry Butler moved to Chicago as a child, where he sang with Curtis Mayfield in the Impressions. The 1958 recording of “For Your Precious Love” opened the way to his solo career.

Butler scored with songs like “He Will Break Your Heart” and “Only the Strong Survive”, and worked with Gamble and Huff on The Ice Man Cometh. He was also active in Chicago politics and died in 2025.