Frankie Beverly, the honey-coated baritone frontman for the soul and funk group Maze, has died. He was 77. His family announced his Sept. 10 passing on Facebook Wednesday (Sept. 11). A cause of death has not been revealed.
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The post, signed by The Beverly Family, reads as follows:
“Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. 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.
“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. Howard Stanley Beverly aka Frankie Beverly; 12/6/46 – 9/10/24.”
Beverly’s death follows in the wake of his being honored at this year’s Essence Festival in July. Prior to that, he had embarked on a farewell tour, which launched March 22 in Atlanta and wrapped in Los Angeles on May 12.
Also doubling as Maze’s writer and producer, Beverly was the lead force behind a string of memorable R&B hits and fan faves that through the years became cultural and generational backdrops for many family barbecues, reunions and parties. Beginning in the late ‘70s with “While I’m Alone” and running through the mid-‘90s, the group’s musical legacy includes “Feel That You’re Feelin’,” “Southern Girl,” “Running Away,” the No. 1 singles “Back in Stride” and “Can’t Get Over You” and, of course, “Before I Let Go.” That 1981 hit took center stage again in 2019 when Beyoncé lovingly covered the song and included it as a bonus track on her Homecoming : The Live Album.
“She [Beyoncé] kept it quiet until her people called me one day,” Beverly recalled during an interview that year with Billboard . “When they played it, that’s when I heard the first draft of it, and I was blown away. It’s a blessing … it’s off the chain. This is one of the high points of my life.”
Born in Philadelphia on Dec. 6, 1946, Beverly founded two groups before moving to California with the second group, rebranded as Raw Soul. That’s when Beverly experienced an early career high point: Raw Soul tapped as the opening act for soul icon and mentor Marvin Gaye. It was also Gaye who christened the group with a new moniker, Maze.
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Maze featuring Frankie Beverly notched its first R&B top 10 in 1978 with “Workin’ Together.” The tightly knit group’s charismatic mix of R&B, soul and funk — further heightened by Beverly’s sinuous vocals embracing his favorite topic, love — struck a major chord throughout the ‘80s and mid-‘90s. Rounding out the group’s musical legacy during its tenures with Capitol and Warner Records are songs such as “Joy and Pain,” “Happy Feelin’s,” “Golden Time of Day,” “I Wanna Thank You,” “Silky Soul,” “We Are One” and “The Morning After.” During Beverly’s 54 years with Maze, the group earned nine gold albums.
The group became just as famous, however, for its must-see stage shows. Beverly, wearing his signature all-white casual slacks and T-shirt topped off by a baseball cap, presided over what seemed more like a church revival than concert. From start to finish, he and Maze would keep fans on their feet, dancing in their seats and aisles while singing along word-for-word at the top of their voices. That’s why the group spent 15 years, beginning in 1995, as the Essence Festival’s closing staple. The festival paid tribute to Beverly’s legacy on July 3 with a special tribute.
Beverly was also honored in April when a street in his childhood East Germantown neighborhood was renamed Frankie Beverly Way. In addition, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly received a BET Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards in July 2012.
Despite Beverly grappling with vocal cord issues in later years, fans steadfastly sang along with the legend as witnessed during his farewell stop in Los Angeles. Though notably frail as he took the stage at the Kia Forum, an enthusiastic Beverly still gave it his all, imbued by the fans’ cheers and shout-outs.
“The passing of Frankie Beverly is a profound loss for the world,” Black Promoters Collective CEO Gary Guidry tells Billboard . The organization produced Beverly’s final tour.
“We are immensely grateful to have had the chance to honor him during the farewell tour this year,” Guidry continues. “It was essential to recognize his invaluable contributions to our culture. Frankie gifted us with timeless classics like ‘Joy and Pain’ and the beloved Black BBQ anthem ‘Before I Let Go,’ ensuring his legacy will endure. We send our prayers for his peaceful transition.”
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