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Frankie Beverly, the singer-songwriter best known for fronting the R&B, soul, and funk band Maze, has died. His family broke the news this morning, revealing that the baritone vocalist died yesterday (September 10). A cause of death was not announced. Frankie Beverly was 77 yers old.
“Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience,” Beverly’s family wrote. “During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way. This period for is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly known to the world as Frankie Beverly.”
The family continued, “He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family and friends. Love one another as he would want that for us all.”
Frankie Beverly’s music in Maze has long served as inspiration for artists drawn to his voice. Hits like “Back in Stride,” “Can’t Get Over You,” and “Golden Time of Day” earned Maze a legion of fans, while other standout singles showcased Beverly’s smooth crooning. Famously, fan-favorite “Before I Let Go” was covered by Beyoncé on her live album Homecoming.
Born Howard Stanley Beverly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1946, he was drawn to music first as a schoolboy in church, singing gospel music to the pews and forming an a cappella doo-wop group with friends in school. Beverly recorded his first official songs in 1963, when he was just 17 years old, as part of the Butlers. Four years later, their soul standard “That’s What You Wanted” caught the ears of producer Kenny Gamble, who picked up the group and helped release more of the Butlers’ material. The Butlers relocated to California, so their sound could find a more fitting audience, and renamed themselves Raw Soul.
Come 1971, Marvin Gaye took notice of Raw Soul and invited them to open his tour. Gaye suggested they change their name once again, this time to Frankie Beverly and Maze. In 1976, Maze signed a contract with Capitol Records and released their debut album, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, the following year. Maze went on to release eight more studio albums, including R&B chart-toppers Can’t Stop the Love, in 1985, and Silky Soul, in 1989. The band’s final studio album was 1993’s Back to Basics.