Jerry Butler

Jerry "Iceman" Butler, Jr. (born December 8, 1939) is an American Hall of Fame singer-songwriter, musician, television presenter and politician. He was born in Sunflower, Mississippi. He is a guitarist, pianist, drummer and saxophonist. His genres include funk, soul and R&B. He was raised in Cabrini–Green, Chicago.

He is known as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group The Impressions. He serves as a Commissioner for Cook County, Illinois, having first been elected in 1985 as a Democrat. As a member of this 17-member county board, he chairs the Health and Hospitals Committee, and serves as Vice Chair of the Construction Committee.[1]

In 1991, Butler was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other The Impressions' members.[2][3]

In his last election, Butler won reelection in March 2014 with over 80 percent of the vote.[4] Butler will not seek re-election to the board in 2018.

In recent years, he has served as host of PBS TV music specials such as Doo Wop 50 and 51, Rock Rhythm and Doo Wop, and Soul Spectacular: 40 years of R&B, among others. He has also served as chairman of the board of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.