Jerry Butler, one of the leading soul singers of the 1960s, has passed away at the age of 85. Butler's niece, Yolanda Goff, confirms to AP that Butler died on Thursday at his home in Chicago due to complications from Parkinson's disease.
Butler was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was three times nominated for a Grammy Award. His warm baritone voice could be heard on hits like "Only the strong survive" and "Make it easy on yourself".
Together with childhood friend Curtis Mayfield, he started the Chicago-based group Impressions in the late 1950s. They got their big breakthrough with the song "For your precious love", a sentimental, gospel-influenced ballad that made Butler a star at the age of 20.
