The Iceman Cometh

by Jerry Butler

Overview

The Ice Man Cometh, Jerry Butler's most successful LP, was the first full-album work from the production team Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. It marks an excellent collaboration, the first time R&B production techniques reached a level of maturity and elegance capable of fully complementing one of the smoothest vocalists in soul history. The Top Ten singles "Hey, Western Union Man" and "Only the Strong Survive" weren't just popular radio hits, but great performances displaying how far the R&B/soul crowd had progressed from the novelty-laden '50s. Thanks to Butler and Gamble/Huff, the sound proved incredibly influential, both in the short term (Elvis Presley was definitely listening and cut a very similar "Only the Strong Survive" one year later) and the long term (Gamble and Huff's Philly Intl. label ruled the mid-'70s R&B world with the same sound). Here's where it coalesced. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	06/14/2019
Label:	Elemental Music / Mercury
UPC:	8435395502525
Rank:	54996

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jerry Butler   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Billy Butler   Composer
Kenny Gamble   Composer,Producer
Joe Tarsia   Engineer
Jerry Butler   Composer
Thomas Randolph Bell   Composer
Theresa Bell   Composer
Thom Bell   Arranger,Composer,Co-Arranger,Recording Arranger
George Woods   Liner Notes
Leon Huff   Composer,Producer
Norman Harris   Composer
Jordi Soley   Producer
Bobby Martin   Arranger,Co-Arranger,Recording Arranger
Gamble & Huff   Producer
Jay Thompson   Cover Design
Mikki Farrow   Composer
Joe Renzetti   Arranger,Recording Arranger
Michael Ochs   Inlay Photography
Norman Ray Harris   Composer
Jerry Ross   Producer