Jonathan Butler
{{Short description|South African singer-songwriter and guitarist}}
{{For|the Seventh-day Adventist historian|Jonathan Butler (historian)}}
{{Use South African English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jonathan Butler
| image = Jonathan Butler 2.jpg
| caption = Jonathan Butler in 2007
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Jonathan Kenneth Butler
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|10|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa{{cite web|title=Jonathan Butler Page |url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Jonathan%20Butler.html|website=Soulwalking.co.uk|access-date=5 February 2021}}
| instrument = Vocals, guitar
| genre = Rhythm and blues, jazz fusion, contemporary worship music
| occupation = Musician, songwriter
| years_active =
| label = Artistry, Mountain, Jive, Rendezvous
| associated_acts = The Pacific Express, Kirk Whalum, Ruby Turner, Boney James, Dave Koz
| website = {{URL|www.jonathanbutler.com}}
}}
Jonathan Kenneth Butler (born 10 October 1961) is a South African singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music is often classified as R&B, jazz fusion or worship music.
Biography
Born and raised in Athlone, Cape Town, South Africa, during apartheid, Butler started singing and playing acoustic guitar as a child. Racial segregation and poverty during apartheid has been the subject of many of his records.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jonathan-butler-mn0000218709/biography|title=Biography: Jonathan Butler|last=Henderson|first=Alex|publisher=AMG|access-date=20 May 2010}} His first single was the first by a black artist played by white radio stations in the racially segregated South Africa and earned a Sarie Award, South Africa's equivalent to the Grammy Awards.
He began touring at the age of seven when he joined a travelling stage show, and was later signed up to perform on a string of hit recordings, turning him into a local teen idol. In 1975, his cover of "Please Stay" by the Drifters reached number 2 in South Africa.{{cite web|author=Brian Currin|url=http://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(B).html|title=South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (B) |publisher=Rock.co.za|access-date=30 June 2014}} The same year his cover of "I Love How You Love Me" by The Paris Sisters reached number 4. "I'll Be Home" reached number 16 in 1976.
In 1978, he found the inspiration and encouragement to begin expressing himself as a composer and songwriter when he joined Cape Town's best known jazz/rock outfit, the Pacific Express. Two albums were recorded with the Express personnel, and some Pacific Express songs were later released on the 1988 7th Avenue album. All three releases were issued by Mountain Records.
Butler was signed to CCP Records, a predecessor to Jive Records in 1977. He left the label to join Mountain Records after a few years. The manager of Mountain Records, Paddy Lee-Thorp was also Butler's manager and in the early 1980s they signed Jonathan to Jive Records and he moved to the United Kingdom, where he remained for seventeen years. His international breakthrough came in 1987 with his Grammy-nominated hit single, "Lies" which reached #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, and his cover version of the Staple Singers song "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)" which he performed with Ruby Turner. His single "Lies", also reached the UK Official Singles Chart, peaking at number 18, spending 12 weeks, in total, in the top 100.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/24394/jonathan-butler/|title=JONATHAN BUTLER - full Official Chart History|website=Official Charts Company|accessdate=26 February 2017}}
In 2001, Butler was featured in a compilation album that was a jazz tribute to Bob Marley produced by Lee Ritenour, A Twist of Marley. Butler's contribution to the album was a jazz cover of No Woman No Cry.
Butler maintained a loyal following in the 1980s and 1990s, in South Africa, the United States and Europe.
Image:Wayman Tisdale & Jonathan Butler.jpg & Jonathan Butler CD release party at the AllStar Rendezvous Concert in 2006.]]
In 2006, Butler was a featured vocalist on the album Gospel Goes Classical, produced by University of Alabama at Birmingham music professor Henry Panion. This recording, featuring arrangements by Panion, Tommy Stewart, Michael Loveless, and Ray Reach, rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Gospel chart, and No. 3 on the Classical Crossover chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/album/juanita-bynum-jonathan-butler/gospel-goes-classical/795536|title=Gospel Goes Classical, Vol. 1 - Juanita Bynum/Jonathon Butler|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111062445/http://www.billboard.com/album/juanita-bynum-jonathan-butler/gospel-goes-classical/795536#/album/juanita-bynum-jonathan-butler/gospel-goes-classical/795536|archive-date=11 November 2010}} He was also nominated for a Grammy Award for his single "Going Home".
Also in 2008, Butler guest-starred on George Duke's Album Dukey Treats, alongside the late Teena Marie on the track Sudan, talking about the disasters of Darfur.
From 2005 to 2012 Butler lived in Bell Canyon, California,{{cite web|url=http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/jonathan-butlers-house-former/view/bing/|title=Jonathan Butler's House (former) in Bell Canyon, CA (Google Maps)|website=Virtualglobetrotting.com|accessdate=9 December 2016}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="6"| Chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"| US ! width="40"| US R&B ! width="40"| US Jazz ! width="40"| US Con. ! width="40"| US Gospel ! width="40"| UK |
| 1975
| align="left"| I Love How You Love Me |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1983
| align="left"| Crossroads |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1985
| align="left"| Introducing Jonathan Butler |align="center"| 101 |align="center"| 46 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| rowspan="3"| 1987
| align="left"| Jonathan Butler |align="center"| 50 |align="center"| 13 |align="center"| — |align="center"| 12 |align="center"| — |align="center"| 12 | |
| align="left"| Put My Love Away
|align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| align="left"| Inspirations
|align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1988
| align="left"| More Than Friends |align="center"| 113 |align="center"| 17 |align="center"| — |align="center"| 10 |align="center"| — |align="center"| 29 | |
| rowspan="2"| 1990
| align="left"| Deliverance |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| align="left"| Heal Our Land
|align="center"| — |align="center"| 58 |align="center"| — |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1991
| align="left"| Harmony |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 5 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1994
| align="left"| Head to Head |align="center"| — |align="center"| 32 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1997
| align="left"| Do You Love Me? |align="center"| — |align="center"| 57 |align="center"| 4 |align="center"| 3 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 1999
| align="left"| Story of Life |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 9 |align="center"| 6 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2000
| align="left"| The Source |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 14 |align="center"| 11 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2002
| align="left"| Surrender |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 10 |align="center"| 9 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2004
| align="left"| The Worship Project |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 16 |align="center"| — | |
| rowspan="2"|2005
| align="left"| Gospel Days |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| align="left"| Jonathan
|align="center"| — |align="center"| 84 |align="center"| 8 |align="center"| 5 |align="center"| 10 |align="center"| — | |
| 2006
| align="left"| Gospel Goes Classical |align="center"| 146 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| — | |
| 2007
| align="left"| Brand New Day |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 6 |align="center"| — | |
| 2010
| align="left"| So Strong |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 7 |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2012
| align="left"| Grace and Mercy |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| 9 |align="center"| — | |
| 2013
| align="left"| Merry Christmas to You |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 9 |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| 12 |align="center"| — | |
| 2014
| align="left"| Living My Dream |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 3 |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2015
| align="left"| Free |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 5 |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| 13 |align="center"| — | |
| 2018
| align="left"| Close to You |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 4 |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2019
| align="left"| Christmas Together |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| 3 |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| 2023
| align="left"| Ubuntu |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |align="center"| - |align="center"| - |align="center"| — |align="center"| — | |
| colspan="12" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
=Live albums=
- Live in South Africa (2007)
=Compilation albums=
- Best of Jonathan Butler (1993)
- Ultimate Butler (2002)
- Christmas Goes Gospel: Tis the Season (2014)
- Divine Voices: Pastors of Praise (2015)
=Collaborations=
- Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story (1997) (Featured soloist - Maria){{cite web|url=http://www.grusin.net/west_side_story.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030515185108/http://grusin.net/west_side_story.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=15 May 2003|title=West Side Story|website=Grusin.net|access-date=2020-03-06}}
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Single ! scope="col" colspan="4"|Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:40px;"|US ! style="width:40px;"|US R&B ! style="width:40px;"|US A/C ! style="width:40px;"|UK |
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| "Please Stay" | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | ― |
| "I Love How You Love Me"
| align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="2"| 1976
| "Fundamental Reggae" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― |
| "I'll Be Home"
| align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1984
| "I'll Be Waiting for Your Love" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| rowspan="3"| 1986
| "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)" (with Ruby Turner) | align=center | ― | align=center | 58 | align=center | ― | align=center | 30 |
| "Haunted by Your Love"
| align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| "Baby Please Don't Take It (I Need Your Love)"
| align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | 25 | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="5"| 1987
| "Lies" | align=center | 27 | align=center | 5 | align=center | 16 | align=center | 18 |
| "Holding On"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 22 | align=center | ― | align=center | 92 |
| "(You're) the Girl of My Dreams"
| align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Overflowing"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| "Take Good Care of Me"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 10 | align=center | 24 | align=center | 89 |
| rowspan="4"| 1988
| "True Love Never Fails" | align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | — | align=center | ― |
| "More than Friends"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 4 | align=center | 48 | align=center | ― |
| "Sarah, Sarah"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 7 | align=center | — | align=center | ― |
| "There's One Born Every Minute (I'm a Sucker for You)"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 9 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="1"| 1989
| "It's So Hard to Let You Go" | align=center | ― | align=center | — | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="4"| 1990
| "Heal Our Land" | align=center | ― | align=center | 45 | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| "Sing Me Your Love Song"
| align=center | ― | align=center | 66 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| "Welcome Home"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| "All Grow'd Up"
| align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1994
| "I'm on My Knees" | align=center | ― | align=center | 53 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="1"| 1995
| "Can We Start All Over Again" | align=center | ― | align=center | 61 | align=center | — | align=center | ― |
| rowspan="1"| 1998
| "Lost to Love" | align=center | ― | align=center | 68 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Jonathan Butler}}
- [http://www.jonathanbutler.com Official Website]
- 11px Radio interview with Jonathan Butler '[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1854511 Part I]' '[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1862308 Part II]' (Broadcast by NPR)
- [http://wifidead.blogspot.com/2020/01/jonathan-butler-early-days.html Early Days]
- [https://www.discogs.com/artist/118554-Jonathan-Butler Jonathan Butler] at Discogs.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Jonathan}}
Category:South African rhythm and blues musicians
Category:South African jazz guitarists
Category:South African male singer-songwriters
Category:South African singer-songwriters
Category:Smooth jazz guitarists
Category:Musicians from Cape Town
Category:Anti-apartheid activists