Frankie Beverly, the soul music icon who rose to fame as the founder and frontman of the band Maze, has died at the age of 77.Beverly’s family confirmed the singer’s death on his social media accounts. “He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better,” the family statement read in part. “He lived for his music, family and friends.”The post says Beverly, whose real name was Howard Stanley Beverly, died Monday. His cause of death was not revealed. Born in Philadelphia, Beverly got his start in music early, performing as a soloist in church while growing up in the East Germantown section of the city.As a teen he sang with an ensemble called The Silhouettes before forming his own doo-wop group, The Blenders.Legend has it that Beverly changed his first name to Frankie for the stage in homage to singer Frankie Lymon, who found fame singing doo-wop as part of the group Frankie Lymon and the teenagers.In 1970 Beverly founded the group Maze, which was originally known as Raw Soul.Their mix of soul, funk and R&B reportedly captured the attention of legendary singer Marvin Gaye, who invited them to tour with him as his opening act.It would open the door for years of hits and success for Beverly and the band with hits like “Joy and Pain,” “Golden Time of Day,” “We Are One,” “Happy Feelin’s” and a song touted as “the unofficial theme of Summer and any gathering of people who have come to party—’Before I Let Go!’,” according to the band’s site.“Before I Let Go” became such a staple in the Black community that Beyoncé covered it for her 2019 film concert film “Homecoming.” It is also the subject of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris’s New York Times podcast, “Still Processing.”“She kept it quiet, until her people called me one day…when they played it, I was blown away,” Beverly said about the Beyoncé rendition. “This is one of the high points of my life.”Beverly and Maze continued to tour for decades, and in 2012, Beverly received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. He announced his retirement earlier this year.Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Frankie Beverly, the soul music icon who rose to fame as the founder and frontman of the band Maze, has died at the age of 77.
Beverly’s family confirmed the singer’s death on his social media accounts.
“He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better,” the family statement read in part. “He lived for his music, family and friends.”
The post says Beverly, whose real name was Howard Stanley Beverly, died Monday. His cause of death was not revealed.
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Born in Philadelphia, Beverly got his start in music early, performing as a soloist in church while growing up in the East Germantown section of the city.
As a teen he sang with an ensemble called The Silhouettes before forming his own doo-wop group, The Blenders.
Legend has it that Beverly changed his first name to Frankie for the stage in homage to singer Frankie Lymon, who found fame singing doo-wop as part of the group Frankie Lymon and the teenagers.
In 1970 Beverly founded the group Maze, which was originally known as Raw Soul.
Their mix of soul, funk and R&B reportedly captured the attention of legendary singer Marvin Gaye, who invited them to tour with him as his opening act.
It would open the door for years of hits and success for Beverly and the band with hits like “Joy and Pain,” “Golden Time of Day,” “We Are One,” “Happy Feelin’s” and a song touted as “the unofficial theme of Summer and any gathering of people who have come to party—’Before I Let Go!’,” according to the band’s site.
“Before I Let Go” became such a staple in the Black community that Beyoncé covered it for her 2019 film concert film “Homecoming.” It is also the subject of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris’s New York Times podcast, “Still Processing.”
“She kept it quiet, until her people called me one day…when they played it, I was blown away,” Beverly said about the Beyoncé rendition. “This is one of the high points of my life.”
Beverly and Maze continued to tour for decades, and in 2012, Beverly received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. He announced his retirement earlier this year.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
