Frankie Beverly, Iconic Maze Singer, Passes Away at 77 – A Legend Remembered

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Frankie Beverly, who inspired generations with his velvety voice and timeless songs with his band Maze, has died. He was 77.

Band’s management, in the statement, posted on the page in social networks and on the band’s website, said that, according to his family, Beverly died on Tuesday. In the post where they requested the privacy of the family, the family stated, “He preserved his life with a clean heart, and to us, nobody can be better than him. “The family did not reveal the cause of death or the place of the death.

Frankie Beverly’s songs such as “Joy and Pain,” “Love Is the Key,” and “Southern Girl” remained hugely popular. He completed his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. That same month, New Orleans’ Essence Festival of Culture featured a special tribute to Beverly and Maze. He had previously closed the festival 15 years ago. His performances at the festival brought the crowd dancing, often dressed in white, like the ones Beverly wore herself.

“Frankie Beverly’s art was not just limited to sound; it was the connecting link to our collective memories and joys. His sweet songs will always resonate in our hearts and inspire us,” festival organizers said in a statement.

Also Read: NFL Star Jalen Hurts Pays Tribute to Late Legendary R&B Singer

National Urban League president and former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial said Maze’s 1981 album “Live in New Orleans” strengthened Beverly’s ties to the city. Morial said he always sat in the front row at the festival’s final show and remembers the crowd there being “like a group singing a happy song,” singing along with Beverly.

“His music had emotion. It had positive themes like love, happiness, family, and unity. It was very magical and that’s why we fell in love with him,” Morial said.

Beverly’s songs have become part of celebrations in black communities. The band’s 1981 song “Before I Let Go,” which has also been performed by Beyoncé, can be heard everywhere from clubs to cookouts, and it inspires people to dance.

“When this song plays, it’s time to dance,” said Essence Festival vice president Hakeem Holmes.

He said the band’s music is so relaxing and happy that it even has a “therapeutic aspect.” He also said songs like “We Are One” bring people together because everyone sings together.

In an interview published in Essence Magazine this summer, Beverly called music “the love of my life.” He said he didn’t realize how his music reaches the hearts of people of all ages, but added, “I think God made a way for my music to reach every generation.”

Howard Stanley Beverly, born Dec. 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, was so influenced by the 1950s R&B group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers that he changed his name to Frankie.

Maze began in Philadelphia in the early 1970s under the name Raw Soul but later moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. Marvin Gaye got him to rename the group Maze, and with Marvin’s cooperation got the first Maze album, ‘ Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly’, out the same year 1977.

In the title track of his 1989 album “Silky Soul,” Beverly paid tribute to Gaye, remembering the singer who excelled at both romantic soul and the protest songs for which Maze was also known.

Among those mourning Beverly was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “His timeless music, his powerful words, and his lasting legacy. I am so sad to hear this news.”

New Orleans resident Cedric T. Thomas, 64 and a lifelong fan of Beverly’s music, said Beverly’s death “leaves a huge void in the R&B world.”

Thomas added, “I feel like I’m in mourning. Frankie was a great artist who made sure we, his fans, left with an incredible experience. I spent my life with his music. I thank him for ‘Joy and Pain,’ ‘Southern Girl,’ ‘Happy Feelings’ and ‘Before I Let Go.’ I am grateful for the time and energy he put into his performances. And although his music will live on, he will be greatly missed.”

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