Jerry Butler got his start in the music business at age 18 when he and his friend Curtis Mayfield formed a singing group and named them The Impressions. They had an almost immediate hit with a song Butler wrote, "For Your Precious Love", which became the group's first gold record. Nicknamed "The Iceman" by legendary Philadelphia DJ Georgi Woods for his smooth, cool delivery and effortless style, Butler has had numerous hits on his own since embarking on a solo career, "He Will Break Your Heart", "Moon River", "Only the Strong Survive" and "Never Gonna Give You Up" being among his biggest. He has been nominated three times for a Grammy award, has won a CLIO award for writing and producing TV commercials, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1994. Iin addition to his music career, Butler also has a career in politics: he is a member of the Cook County (Illinois) Board of Commissioners, having first been elected in 1985.