JERRY BUTLER, The "Iceman", deserves individual recognition and induction into the Rock Hall. I know that he is already inducted with The Impressions, but his career goes far beyond The Impressions . Singer, songwriter, host of all of the famed PBS oldies specials,20 plus years as a Commissioner of Cook County , Illinois, and several years as Chairman of The Rhythm & Blues Foundation, fighting for the rights and royalties of numerous artists and musicians who were cheated by the record companies...not to mention a long, definitive solo career, with numerous Pop & R&B chart hits AFTER he left The Impressions, such as MOON RIVER, ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE, NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP, HEY,MR. DREAM MERCHANT, NEED TO BELONG, I STAND ACCUSED,WHAT'S THE USE OF BREAKING UP,MOODY WOMAN, HE WILL BREAK YOUR HEART (He Don't Love You Like I Love You) and numerous other hits...yes, JERRY BUTLER deserves to be IN THE CLYDE McPHATTER CLUB...as does BEN E. KING !!!!

Posted by Bill G. on Sunday, 04/7/2013 @ 13:42pm

Jerry is in with The Impressions. Should also go in solo. Had a HUGE career after The Impressions. Numerous hit singles . Chairman of The Rhythm and Blues Foundation, Host of all those great PBS Specials. Songwriter and Producer. Jerry Butler should go in solo !!

Posted by Bill G. on Saturday, 04/13/2013 @ 20:01pm

Jerry Butler deserves a SECOND INDUCTION. Why ? Because he had a BIG career after The Impressions...Everything from writing his own songs, (with and without Gamble & Huff), to co-writing one of the most iconic R&B tunes of all time...."I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG (to Stop Now)" by OTIS REDDING, to his role as Chairman of the RHYTHM and BLUES FOUNDATION, fighting for and championing the rights of numerous classic R&B artists that were shafted out of royalties by the record companies during the Fifties and Sixties...to his current position as Commissioner of Cook County, Illinois ( a position he's held for over 25 years, and host of all those great PBS Oldies specials. He's been married to the same woman (Annette) for over 40 years...and she travels with him as one of his background singers on the road. His career has been the epitome of dignity and class...without a hint of scandal. JERRY BUTLER DESERVES TO GO IN AGAIN !!!

Posted by Bill G. on Thursday, 06/13/2013 @ 13:00pm

****JERRY BUTLER****

JERRY BUTLER, The "Iceman", deserves individual recognition and induction into the Rock Hall. I know that he is already inducted with The Impressions, but his career goes far beyond The Impressions . Singer, songwriter, host of all of the famed PBS oldies specials,20 plus years as a Commissioner of Cook County , Illinois, and several years as Chairman of The Rhythm & Blues Foundation, fighting for the rights and royalties of numerous artists and musicians who were cheated by the record companies...not to mention a long, definitive solo career, with numerous Pop & R&B chart hits AFTER he left The Impressions, such as MOON RIVER, ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE, NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP, HEY,MR. DREAM MERCHANT, NEED TO BELONG, I STAND ACCUSED,WHAT'S THE USE OF BREAKING UP,MOODY WOMAN, HE WILL BREAK YOUR HEART (He Don't Love You Like I Love You) and numerous other hits...yes, JERRY BUTLER deserves to be a DOUBLE INDUCTEE !!!!

Posted by Bill G. on Monday, 06/30/2014 @ 00:16am

As an individual Jerry Butler deserves his "Solo" recognition for his input and excellence in the music industry, without doubt. No need here to list chronologically, his input and accomplishments. Simply read all the posts before mine!! He deserves his Solo induction. Pls do this while he can celebrate and appreciate it. It should matter folks!!

Posted by Hope Dozier on Monday, 05/18/2020 @ 05:58am

Jerry Butler's friend, and fellow Impression , CURTIS MAYFIELD, has already been inducted TWICE.
Jerry deserves to be inducted twice TOO!!! He CERTAINLY DESERVES IT…and it's been a LONG TIME COMING.
Please…don't wait until he he's DEAD, to receive this honor that he truly DESERVES.
SMOKEY ROBINSON deserves to be inducted twice as well…this time as a MEMBER of the legendary
group that he was a member of for almost 20 YEARS… The Miraculous MIRACLES !!

Posted by Bill G. on Friday, 05/17/2024 @ 01:17am

bill g,

I greatly respect your logic. you want him in solo cause you like him. right on.

personally idk any Jerry solo tunes, so I have no real opinion. I definitely don't think he's on equal footing with Curtis tho, move on up is one of my favorite tracks.

Posted by will m on Friday, 05/17/2024 @ 11:31am

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Butler?wprov=sfti1#

Bill G,,

"I greatly respect your logic. you want him in solo cause you like him. right on."

No, Will, I think that JERRY BUTLER should be inducted TWICE..because he DESERVES IT.
Most people today don't realize that it was Jerry Butler , not Curtis Mayfield , that was the Original lead singer of THE IMPRESSIONS. He led on the group's first million-seller, "FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE."

But, AFTER leaving the Impressions, Jerry went on to have some 55 Pop and R&B Chart hits as a SOLO Artist…a number that many inducted artists can't match .

Here's what Wikipedia says about Jerry:

" Since his 1991 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Impressions, music writers and critics have stated that Butler also deserves a second induction as a solo artist, based upon his successful career as a recording artist and songwriter after leaving that group."
Some of his solo hit tunes included : HE WILL BREAK YOUR HEART, (Top 10 );ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE (TOP 10) , LET IT BE ME (with Betty Everett) (TOP 10), "MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF (TOP 20),
"WESTERN UNION MAN" (TOP 20), "MOON RIVER" (#11),"NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP" (TOP 20),
"WHAT'S THE USE OF BREAKING UP" (TOP 20), and numerous other hits. Check Wikipedia to learn more.
His hit-filled albums "THE ICEMAN COMETH" and "ICE ON ICE," produced by the legendary Rock Hall-inducted duo, Gamble and Huff, are required listing for anyone who enjoys great Soul music, and Jerry himself is an accomplished songwriter who wrote or co-wrote many hit tunes …including
Otis Redding's first big hit, "I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG (TO STOP NOW.)"
Jerry has also been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.

Yes, JERRY BUTLER definitely deserves a SECOND INDUCTION AS A SOLO ARTIST.

Posted by Bill G on Saturday, 05/18/2024 @ 04:17am

RIP Jerry Butler

Posted by J.W. on Friday, 02/21/2025 @ 12:52pm

Another legend has left us…without a WELL-DESERVED SOLO INDUCTION.
JERRY BUTLER should've been a DOUBLE INDUCTEE: 55 SOLO CHART HITS !!
I am a BIG BELIEVER in giving someone their ACCOLADES while they're STILL ALIVE.
Too many famed R&B artists have been honored…AFTER their DEATHS.
DONNA SUMMER is a GLARING example:
FOUR NOMINATIONS…NO INDUCTION…
And THEN she's …FINALLY HONORED…
After she DIES…THEN she gets INDUCTED!!!
THREE of THE POINTER SISTERS : DEAD…NO INDUCTION.
THREE of THE FAMOUS FLAMES: DEAD…Before they finally got in…
and BOBBY BENNETT BARELY made it in ALIVE…before HE died…just months before
HIS death some 9 months later.
MARY WELLS. DEAD…and she STILL is not in…
THE MARVELETTES: FOUR ORIGINAL MEMBERS: DEAD…And the LAST LIVING MEMBER,
JUANITA COWART…was NEVER EVEN NOMINATED in the FIRST place…despite the fact that SHE was on SEVERAL IMPORTANT RECORDINGS.
TWO of THE MIRACLES…DEAD…before they were finally inducted…( RONNIE WHITE & MARV TARPLIN)…and BOBBY ROGERS was too sick to ATTEND…
(WHY DID THEY WAIT SO LONG to induct MOTOWN'S FIRST GROUP ??)
And…to THIS DAY…lead singer SMOKEY ROBINSON has STILL NOT BEEN INDUCTED…
AS A MEMBER of THE GROUP !!
(I guess they're waiting for HIM to die TOO.)
The CHI-LITES actually have a STAR on the HOLLYWOOD WALK of FAME…
But NO INDUCTION…and only ONE MEMBER ,MARSHALL THOMPSON, is still ALIVE.
THE O'JAYS: Original member BILL ISLES…DEAD…and was never inducted with the group.
ALONZO TUCKER of THE MIDNIGHTERS…an Original Member..still SNUBBED as of 2025.
ALL of the Original SPINNERS…except HENRY FAMBROUGH …DEAD before THEY finally got in…
JR. WALKER & THE ALL-STARS…one of the LAST great Classic Era MOTOWN GROUPS…
ALL DEAD…NO INDUCTION AS OF 2026 .
And this is just the TIP of the ICEBURG:
HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES…all DEAD except for LLOYD PARKS…
NO INDUCTION as of 2026.
NATALIE COLE: DEAD…NO INDUCTION…although her DAD has been inducted for YEARS…as an EARLY INFLUENCE.
ROY HAMILTON: NOT INDUCTED.
THE BELMONTS : DION is in…WHY NOT THEM ? TWO MEMBERS DEAD…
BUT…EIGHTIES RAPPERS are getting in EVERY YEAR ?
THE COMMODORES: MILAN WILLIAMS…DEAD: NO GROUP INDUCTION…
Only LIONEL RICHIE is in…SOLO.
THE STYLISTICS: TWO ORIGINAL MEMBERS: JAMES SMITH & JAMES DUNN: DEAD…NO INDUCTION
(70'S SOUL ARTISTS have been almost completely IGNORED…WHY?
(BARRY WHITE is a GLARING EXAMPLE)
WHEN WILL THIS EVER CHANGE ??

Posted by Bill G. on Thursday, 01/22/2026 @ 09:32am