Jerry Butler was born December 8, 1939 in Sunflower, Mississippi, and started out singing gospel music as a member of the Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers, along with Curtis Mayfield.Together they later joined The Roosters with Sam Gooden, and brothers Arthur and Richard Brooks. In 1957, they changed their name to The Impressions.
In the fall of 1958, Jerry left The Impressions to start a solo career. His first single, For Your Precious Love, was released on three different labels: Vee-Jay 280 (worth an astounding $6000 today!!!), Falcon 1013 and also Abner 1013. He went on to chart a very impressive 39 singles on the Billboard charts; including 3 Top Ten hits as well as two Gold records.
Today, Jerry Butler can be seen frequently as host of various Doo Wop specials on PBS - Public Television in the United States.
This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights two great Jerry Butler hits: He Will Break Your Heart (#7 in 1960) and Only The Strong Survive (#4 in 1969). Which is your preferred song? Go to the Voice Your Choice page at Treasure Island Oldies and make your selection. The song with the most votes will be played in Hour 3 of this week's show.
