Jerry Butler

Ur. 8.12.1939 r. w Sunflower w stanie Mississippi, USA. Starszy brat Billy'ego Butlera - lidera rhythm'n'bluesowej grupy The (En)Chanters. Jeszcze jako dziecko, po przeniesieniu się do rodziny do Chicago, brał udział w tworzeniu się w tym mieście dużego ośrodka muzyki gospel. Później dołączył do kilku świeckich zespołów, w tym The Roosters, ambitnego tria, w którym grali Sam Gooden oraz Richard i Arthur Brooks.

Butler zaproponował przyjęcie do grupy swego przyjaciela, gitarzysty Curtisa Mayfielda. Pod nazwą The Impressions kwintet wszedł do amerykańskiej, rhythm'n'bluesowej Top 3 chwytliwym nagraniem "For Your Precious Love" (z 1958 r.). Jednak napis na okładce określający zespół jako "Jerry Butler And The Impressions" wywołał w zespole tarcia.

Drugi singel "Come Back My Love" odniósł mniejszy sukces i Butler odszedł z grupy, by rozpocząć karierę solową. Po pierwszych pomniejszych hitach nagranie "He Will Break Your Heart" doszło w 1960 r. do 1. miejsca amerykańskiej listy rhythm'n' bluesowej i do 7. miejsca na liście pop. Autorem piosenki był Mayfield, który grał też na gitarze i śpiewał w chórkach. Nieporozumienia między Butlerem a Mayfieldem zostały najwyraźniej zażegnane, a współpraca między nimi zaowocowała kolejnymi dwoma przebojami - "Find Another Girl" i "I'm A Telling You" (obydwa z 1961 r.).

Rola Mayfielda w tej spółce zmniejszała się jednak wraz z rozwojem kariery grupy The Impressions, w której cały czas występował. Jerry tymczasem nie zwalniał tempa - nagrania "Make It Easy On Yourself" (z 1962 r.) oraz "I Stand Accused" (z 1964 r.) znalazły się wśród najlepiej sprzedawanych singli. W 1966 r. Butler przeniósł się do wytwórni Mercury i nawiązał kontakt ze spółką kompozytorską Kenny Gambie/Leon Huff. Nagrane w tym okresie "Hey Western Union Man" i "Only The Strong Survive" weszły na szczyty list w 1968 r. i 1969 r. Na początku lat 70. Jerry związał się z Genem Chandlerem a później Brendą Lee Eager. Single nagrane z tymi artystami na któtko zagościły na listach przebojów.

Jeszcze w 1970 r. wraz ze swoim bratem Billym Butler założył Butlers (Songwritcr's) Workshop (warsztaty autorskie Butlerów), zachęcając do udziału w nich ambitnych autorów piosenek i muzyków. Znaleźli się w tym gronie między innymi Martin Yancey i Chuck Jackson z grupy The Independents oraz Natalie Cole. W 1975 r. Jerry związał się z firmą Tamla Motown, a potem, z lepszym skutkiem w 1979 r., z Philadelphia International (powracając przy okazji do współpracy z Gamblem i Huffem).

W latach 80-tych jego utwory wydawały wytwórnie Fountain i CTI. Od 1986 r. Butler piastował oficjalne stanowisko państwowe w Chicago. Sporadycznie nagrywał i występował (choćby wraz Arethą Franklin w telewizyjnej reklamówce McDonalda w 1985 r.). W marcu 1993 r. wziął udział we wspominkowym koncercie wraz z The Impressions.

Single

Tytuł	Wykonawca	Data wydania	UK	US	Wytwórnia [US]	Komentarz
For Your Precious Love / Sweet Was the Wine	Jerry Butler & The Impressions	06.1958	-	11[12]	Abner 10133	[written by Arthur Brooks/Richard Brooks/Jerry Butler][produced by Calvin Carter][3[7].R&B Chart]
Lost/One By One	Jerry Butler	03.1959	-	-	Abner 1024	[written by A. Tucker, T. Twiggs, C. Batenza][17[3].R&B Chart]
A Lonely Soldier/I Found A Love	Jerry Butler	05.1960	-	-	Abner 1035	[written by C. Carter][25[4].R&B Chart]
He Will Break Your Heart / Thanks to You	Jerry Butler	10.1960	-	7[15]	Vee-Jay 354	[written by Jerry Butler/Calvin Carter/Curtis Mayfield][produced by Calvin Carter][1[7][16].R&B; Chart]
Find Another Girl / When Trouble Calls	Jerry Butler	03.1961	-	27[10]	Vee-Jay 375	[written by Jerry Butler/Curtis Mayfield][produced by Calvin Carter][10[11].R&B Chart]
I'm A Telling You / I See a Fool	Jerry Butler	07.1961	-	25[8]	Vee-Jay 390	[written by Jerry Butler/Curtis Mayfield][produced by Calvin Carter][8[9].R&B Chart]
Moon River / Aware of Love	Jerry Butler	10.1961	-	11[17] side B:105[4]	Vee-Jay 405	[written by Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer][B:written by Jerry Butler/Curtis Mayfield][produced by Calvin Carter][14[6].R&B Chart]
Make It Easy on Yourself / It's Too Late	Jerry Butler	07.1962	-	20[11]	Vee-Jay 451	[written by Burt Bacharach, Hal David][produced by Burt Bacharach/Hal David][18[2].R&B Chart]
You Can Run (But You Can't Hide)/ I'm the One	Jerry Butler	10.1962	-	63[7]	Vee-Jay 463	[written by D.Covay, /Denison/Griffin][produced by Calvin Carter][23[5].R&B Chart]
Theme from Taras Bulba (Wishing Star) / You Go Right Through Me	Jerry Butler	12.1962	-	100[1]	Vee-Jay 475	[written by Hal David/Franz Waxman][produced by Calvin Carter][piosenka z filmu "Taras Bulba"]
Whatever You Want/ You Won't Be Sorry	Jerry Butler	03.1963	-	68[6]	Vee-Jay 486	[written by Crewe/Bob Gaudio][produced by Calvin Carter]
Need to Belong / Give Me Your Love	Jerry Butler	11.1963	-	31[11]	Vee-Jay 567	[written by Curtis Mayfield][produced by Calvin Carter][2[15].R&B Chart]
Giving Up on Love / I've Been Trying	Jerry Butler	04.1964	-	56[6]	Vee-Jay 588	[written by Bob Feldman/Jerry Goldstein/Richard Gottehrer][produced by Calvin Carter][17[14].R&B Chart]
I Stand Accused / I Don't Want to Hear Anymore	Jerry Butler	08.1964	-	61[6];side B:95[2]	Vee-Jay 598	[A:written by Jerry Butler/William Butler][B:written by Randy Newman][produced by Calvin Carter][3[18].R&B Chart]
Let it be me/Ain't that loving you baby	Betty Everett & Jerry Butler	09.1964	-	5[13];side B:108[1]	Vee-Jay 613	[written by Gilbert Bécaud, Mann Curtis][produced by Calvin Carter][A:1[3][17].R&B Chart][B:24[2].R&B; Chart][#3 r&b; chart hit for Jimmy Reed in 1956]
Smile/Love is strange	Betty Everett & Jerry Butler	12.1964	-	42[7]	Vee-Jay 633	[written by Charlie Chaplin/Geoffrey Parsons/John Turner][produced by Calvin Carter][16[8].R&B Chart]
Good Times / I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face	Jerry Butler	03.1965	-	64[4]	Vee-Jay 651	[written by Curtis Mayfield][produced by Calvin Carter][33[5].R&B Chart]
I Can't Stand to See You Cry / Nobody Needs Your Love	Jerry Butler	07.1965	-	122[4]	Vee-Jay 696	[written by Van McCoy][produced by Calvin Carter]
Just For You/ Believe In Me	Jerry Butler	11.1965	-	-	Vee-Jay 707	[written by Van McCoy][produced by J. D. Jones][33[3].R&B Chart]
For Your Precious Love / Give It Up	Jerry Butler	03.1966	-	99[2]	Vee-Jay 715	[written by Arthur Brooks/Richard Brooks/Jerry Butler][produced by Calvin Carter][25[7].R&B Chart]
Love [Oh,How sweet it is]/ Loneliness	Jerry Butler	07.1966	-	103[4]	Mercury 72 592	[34[7].R&B; Chart][written by Jerry Butler, Billy Butler, Bobby Miller][produced by Luchi DeJesus]
I Dig You Baby / Some Kind of Magic	Jerry Butler	01.1967	-	60[9]	Mercury 72 648	[written by Samuel Bell/Lorraine Ellison/Dennis Lambert][produced by Jerry Ross][8[10].R&B Chart]
Mr. Dream Merchant / 'Cause I Love You So	Jerry Butler	10.1967	-	38[7]	Mercury 72 721	[written by Jerry Ross/Larry Weiss][produced by Jerry Ross][23[7].R&B Chart]
Lost/You Don't Know What You've Got Until You Lose It	Jerry Butler	12.1967	-	62[6]	Mercury 72 764	[written by Jerry Butler/Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][15[10].R&B Chart]
Never Give You Up / Beside You	Jerry Butler	06.1968	-	20[14]	Mercury 72 798	[written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][4[16].R&B Chart]
Hey Western Union Man / Just Can't Forget About You	Jerry Butler	08.1968	-	16[13]	Mercury 72 850	[written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][1[1][13].R&B; Chart]
Are You Happy / (Strange) I Still Love You	Jerry Butler	12.1968	-	39[10]	Mercury 72 876	[written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][9[9].R&B Chart]
Only the Strong Survive / Just Because I Really Love You	Jerry Butler	03.1969	-	4[13]	Mercury 72 898	[gold-US][written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][1[2][14].R&B; Chart]
Moody Woman / Go Away - Find Yourself	Jerry Butler	05.1969	-	24[10]	Mercury 72 929	[written by Jerry Butler, Thom Bell, Kenny Gamble][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][3[12].R&B; Chart]
What's the Use of Breaking Up / Brand New Me	Jerry Butler	08.1969	-	20[10];side B:109[2]	Mercury 72 960	[written by Jerry Butler, Thom Bell, Kenny Gamble][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][4[12].R&B; Chart]
Don't Let Love Hang You Up / Walking Around in Teardrops	Jerry Butler	11.1969	-	44[8]	Mercury 72 991	[written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff]12[7].R&B; Chart]
Got to See If I Can't Get Mommy (To Come Back Home) / I Forgot to Remember	Jerry Butler	01.1970	-	62[5]	Mercury 73 015	[written by Helen Miller, Rose Marie McCoy][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][21[7].R&B; Chart]
I Could Write a Book / Since I Lost You, Baby	Jerry Butler	03.1970	-	46[5]	Mercury 73 045	[written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff][15[6].R&B; Chart]
Where Are You Going / You Can Fly	Jerry Butler	08.1970	-	95[1]	Mercury 73 101	[written by Danny Meehan/Bobby Scott][produced by Bobby Scott ][42[2].R&B; Chart][piosenka z filmu "Joe"]
Special memory/How does it feel	Jerry Butler	11.1970	-	109[2]	Mercury 73 131	[written by Jerry Butler, Larry Wade, Billy Butler][produced by Jerry Butler, Billy Butler][36[5].R&B; Chart]
You just can't win [By making the same mistake]/Sho is grooving	Gene & Jerry	01.1971	-	94[3]	Mercury 73 163	[written by Ronald Simmons, Walter Simtec Simmons, Wylie Dixon][produced by Gene & Jerry][32[4].R&B; Chart]
If It's Real What I Feel / Why Are You Leaving Me	Jerry Butler	03.1971	-	69[8]	Mercury 73 169	[written by Chuck Jackson][produced by Billy Butler/Gerald Sims][8[11].R&B; Chart]
How Did We Lose It Baby / Do You Finally Need a Friend	Jerry Butler	07.1971	-	85[3]	Mercury 73 210	[written by Billy Butler][produced by Billy Butler/Gerald Sims][38[4].R&B; Chart]
Ten and two [Take this woman off the corner]/Everybody is waiting	Gene & Jerry	07.1971	-	126[1]	Mercury 73 195
Walk Easy My Son / Let Me Be	Jerry Butler	10.1971	-	93[2]	Mercury 73 241	[written by Chuck Jackson][produced by Billy Butler/Gerald Sims][33[8].R&B; Chart]
Ain't understanding mellow /Windy City Soul	Jerry Butler and Brenda Lee Eager	12.1971	-	21[18]	Mercury 73 255	[written by Homer Alexander Talbert III, Horsholt Polk][produced by Billy Butler/Gerald Sims][3[17].R&B; Chart]
Can't Understand It/How Long Will It Last	Jerry Butler	06.1973	-	-	Mercury 73 395	[written by C. Jackson, M. Yancy][produced by Robert Bowles][26[10].R&B; Chart]
The Love We Had Stays On My Mind/Were We Lovers, Were We Friends	Jerry Butler and Brenda Lee Eager	10.1973	-	-	Mercury 73 422	[written by T. Callier, L. Wade][produced by Bobby Bowles][64[7].R&B; Chart]
I Only Have Eyes for You / A Prayer	Jerry Butler	05.1972	-	85[4]	Mercury 73 290	[written by Al Dubin, Harry Warren][produced by Samuel Brown][20[8].R&B; Chart][#2 hit for Ben Selvin in 1934]
[They long to be] Close to you/You can't always tell	Jerry Butler feat Brenda Lee Eager	09.1972	-	91[3]	Mercury 73 301	[written by Burt Bacharach, Hal David][produced by Samuel Brown]
One Night Affair / Life's Unfortunate Song	Jerry Butler	11.1972	-	52[7]	Mercury 73 335	[written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Jerry Butler/Samuel Brown][6[10].R&B; Chart]
Power Of Love/What Do You Do On A Sunday Afternoon	Jerry Butler	12.1973	-	-	Mercury 73 443	[written by J. Bristol, J. Butler][produced by Johnny Bristol][15[13].R&B; Chart]
That's How Heartaches Are Made/Too Many Danger Signs	Jerry Butler	02.1974	-	-	Mercury 73 459	[58[9].R&B; Chart]
Take The Time To Tell Her/High Stepper	Jerry Butler	07.1974	-	-	Mercury 73 495	[written by M. Yancy, J. Butler][produced by Calvin Carter][46[11].R&B; Chart]
Playing On You/You And Me Against The World	Jerry Butler	11.1974	-	-	Mercury 73 629	[written by Z. Grey, L. Hutson][produced by Calvin Carter][33[13].R&B; Chart]
The Devil In Mrs. Jones/I Don't Wanna Be Reminded	Jerry Butler	10.1976	-	-	Motown 1403	[written by M. Smith ][produced by Mark Davis][55[6].R&B; Chart]
I Wanna Do It to You / I Don't Wanna Be Reminded	Jerry Butler	03.1977	-	51[11]	Motown 1414	[written by Jerry Butler/Patricia Henley/Homer Talbert][produced by Jerry Butler/Homer Talbert][7[16].R&B; Chart]
Chalk It Up/I Don't Want Nobody To Know	Jerry Butler	07.1977	-	-	Motown 1421	[written by T. Callier, L. Wade][produced by Bobby Bowles][28[12].R&B; Chart]
It's A Lifetime Thing/Kiss Me Now	Thelma Houston And Jerry Butler	09.1977	-	-	Motown 1422	[written by M. Ward, K. Carter][produced by Jerry Butler, Homer Talbert III ][84[3].R&B; Chart]
(I'm Just Thinking About) Cooling Out/Are You Lonely Tonight	Jerry Butler	10.1978	-	-	Philadelphia International 3656	[written by K. Gamble, L. Huff, J. Butler][produced by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff][14[17].R&B; Chart]
Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You/I'm Glad To Be Back	Jerry Butler	03.1979	-	-	Philadelphia International 3673	[written by K. Gamble, L. Huff, J. Butler][produced by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff][86[2].R&B; Chart]
The Best Love I Ever Had/Would You Mind	Jerry Butler	03.1980	-	-	Philadelphia International 3746	[written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff][produced by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff][49[9].R&B; Chart]
Don't Be An Island/The Best Love I Ever Had	Jerry "The Iceman" Butler	08.1980	-	-	Philadelphia International 3113	[written by K. Echols][produced by Dexter Wansel, Jerry Butler][75[4].R&B; Chart]
No Love Without Changes/All The Way	Jerry Butler	09.1982	-	-	Fountain 400	[written by Keni St. James, Freddie Perren][produced by Freddie Perren][83[4].R&B; Chart]
In My Life/What's At the End of a Rainbow	Jerry Butler with Patti Austin	07.1983	-	-	CTI 59	[92[3].R&B; Chart]

Albumy

Tytuł	Wykonawca	Data wydania	UK	US	Wytwórnia [US]	Komentarz
Delicious together	Betty Everett & Jerry Butler	10.1964	-	102[11]	Vee-Jay 1099	-
Mr. Dream Merchant	Jerry Butler	01.1968	-	154[7]	Mercury 61 146	-
Jerry Butler's Golden Hits Live	Jerry Butler	03.1968	-	178[2]	Mercury 61 151	-
The Soul Goes On	Jerry Butler	07.1968	-	195[2]	Mercury 61 171	-
The Iceman Cometh	Jerry Butler	01.1969	-	29[47]	Mercury 61 198	-
Ice on Ice	Jerry Butler	10.1969	-	41[23]	Mercury 61 234	-
The best of Jerry Butler	Jerry Butler	06.1970	-	167[5]	Mercury 61 281	-
You & Me	Jerry Butler	07.1970	-	172[4]	Mercury 61 269	-
Sings Assorted Sounds With the Aid of Assorted Friends and Relatives	Jerry Butler	02.1971	-	186[4]	Mercury 61 320	-
Gene & Jerry-One & one	Gene Chandler & Jerry Butler	03.1971	-	143[5]	Mercury 61 330	-
The Sagittarius Movement	Jerry Butler	10.1971	-	123[22]	Mercury 61 347	-
The Spice of Life	Jerry Butler	06.1972	-	92[24]	Mercury 7502	-
The Vintage years	Jerry Butler	02.1977	-	199[2]	Sire 3717	-
Suite for the Single Girl	Jerry Butler	03.1977	-	146[11]	Motown 878	-
Thelma & Jerry	Thelma Houston & Jerry Butler	06.1977	-	53[12]	Motown 887	-
Nothing Says I Love You Like I Love You	Jerry Butler	01.1979	-	160[4]	Philadelphia Int. 35 510	-