LET IT BE ME, Betty Everett & Jerry Butler (Vee-Jay #613) 1964

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LET IT BE ME, Betty Everett & Jerry Butler (Vee-Jay #613) 1964
Flipside: AIN'T THAT LOVING YOU BABY – Here is one of the truly great duets of all time. Betty Jean Everett was born November 23, 1939 in Greenwood, Mississippi. She was an American soul singer and pianist, and best known for her biggest solo hit single, the million-selling "SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT'S IN HIS KISS)" (Vee-Jay #585). It charted in April 1964 for 13 weeks and reached #6.

Betty had a total of 10 songs charted nationally on Billboard. Her biggest charted hit is this upload of "LET IT BE ME", her duet with Jerry Butler. The song charted in October 1964 for 13 weeks and reached #5.

Sadly, Betty Everett passed away at only 62 years old on August 19, 2001 in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Jerry Butler Jr. was born December 8, 1939 in Sunflower, Mississippi. He is an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and a retired politician. Jerry was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group The Impressions and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

(The Impressions had 39 songs charted nationally on Billboard. Their biggest was “IT’S ALL RIGHT” which charted in November 1963 for 14 weeks and reached #4.)

Jerry Butler left The Impressions in 1958 for a solo career. He would go on to also have 39 songs charted. His biggest was “ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE” (Mercury #72898) which charted in April 1969 for 13 weeks and reached #4.

Please note: Jerry Butler & The Impressions’ recording of “FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE” (Vee-Jay #280) 1958 was worth $4,000.00 24 years ago! It was 2nd pressed on (Abner #1013) and (Falcon #1013) 1958. It was released again in 1961 (Vee-Jay #396) and again in 1966 (Vee-Jay #715).

Jerry Butler & The Impressions’ version of “FOR YOUR PRESIOUS LOVE” charted nationally on Billboard in July 1958 for 12 weeks and reached #11.

I had the pleasure of working with Jerry Butler when I co-produced a show with my very dear and close friend, the late Lloyd Price. I had produced Lloyd many times in my 40 plus years in the music business. He came to me in the 1990’s and asked if I would help him launch a very special show that he was putting together.

Of course, I said “Yes” and I made the deal for him with the Tropicana Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The show starred Lloyd Price, Jerry Butler, Ben E. King, Gene Chandler and Percy Sledge. WOW! What a show! Great memories!

“LET IT BE ME” is a popular song originally published in French in 1955 as “Je t'appartiens”, interpreted by Gilbert Bécaud. It became popular worldwide with an English version by the Everly Brothers (Cadence #1376). Their version charted nationally on Billboard in February 1960 for 15 weeks and reached #7.

Enjoy this really great cover version of “LET IT BE ME” by the late great Betty Everett and the great Jerry Butler (he’s still with us). He’s 84 years young!