<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4SOrdm_0vjdS3yA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4SOrdm_0vjdS3yA00" width="1476" height="570" ><figcaption>Frankie Beverly and his bandmates took their final bow in one of their Philadelphia concerts at The Dell in their signature white outfits.</figcaption></figure>The 2024 season of the Dell Essence of Entertainment music series is in the books, marked by a jubilant July 4th performance by native son, Frankie Beverly, then mired in sadness when the 77-year-old passed suddenly in mid-September.The group, Frankie Beverly and Maze, opened the Dell’s annual summertime series to a sold-out crowd with his signature songs: “We Are One,” “Golden Age of Time,” “Before I Let Go,” “Morning After” and others.Also, during the summer, Beverly was celebrated by family, friends and fans when the street of his childhood home in Germantown was ceremonially named, “Frankie Beverly Way.” His legions of fans came out to sing along and dance, adorned in white outfits, the signature clothing that Beverly wore during his concerts.“It was my first time seeing him,” said Mary Johnson, of West Philadelphia. “He had an awesome show. I liked it because when he came out, he performed very well and I started singing his songs. He’s an excellent singer. So, I really, truly enjoyed it. It was very good.” “The passing of Frankie Beverly was very sad,” said Christine Cain-Smith, of West Philadelphia. “He brought us a lot of music, good music throughout the years. He’s left his mark on Philadelphia, his hometown. He’s just an icon to us. His music, his mannerisms; he’s brought us joy and pain, he’s let us know that we are one. So, we’ll miss him but we’ll always have his music.”Other legacy performers with national and international fans were featured in the series as well.Johnnie Gill dazzled the crowds with his sometimes baritone voice and smooth love songs that had men and women fans coming to the edge of the stage to get a chance to sing with him.“I also saw The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan and the Zapp Band,” added Johnson, “and those shows were good, too. They played the music that I liked, and they performed well. Even though they’re up there in age, they are good performers. They still got it going on. They had me dancing and singing in my seat.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=05Hs7W_0vjdS3yA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=05Hs7W_0vjdS3yA00" width="967" height="645" ><figcaption>Gladys Knight enjoyed the Philly crowd as she sang, “Neither One of Us.”</figcaption></figure>During the Gladys Knight concert, fans saw the music legend on possibly her final tour in Philadelphia. They saw an energetic Knight receive her “flowers” from Philly fans who loved her over six decades of music.Ron and Ernie Isley, of the Isley Brothers, came with a stage presence that saw Ron, the 82-year-old lead singer, still embracing his fans with his love songs and character, “Mr. Big,” that sang “Between the Sheets,” “Voyage to Atlantis,” “Groove with You,” “Harvest for the World,” and “It’s Your Thing.” The Isley Brothers have also performed for 60 years.The closeout concert at The Dell was “Chaka Khan.” Her appearance was well received as she sang hits that included, “Through the Fire,” I Feel for You,” “Ain’t Nobody,” and “Sweet Thang.” Her fans were excited to see her since she hasn’t appeared in the city for about 10 years.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1Ef2JJ_0vjdS3yA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1Ef2JJ_0vjdS3yA00" width="468" height="615" ><figcaption>Ron Isley sang “Between the Sheets” to a sold-out crowd at The Dell.</figcaption></figure>“Well, the show with The Isley Brothers was really good,” said Smith. “Gladys Knight was fantastic. I’ve always enjoyed the concerts at The Dell and those two particular artists are exceptional.” <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=16KRpS_0vjdS3yA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=16KRpS_0vjdS3yA00" width="468" height="569" ><figcaption>Ernie Isley played guitar to one of the Isley Brothers’ songs, “Voyage to Atlantis.”</figcaption></figure></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Dell concert series ended for 2024; local performer’s death was sad

The 2024 season of the Dell Essence of Entertainment music series is in the books, marked by a jubilant July 4th performance by native son, Frankie Beverly, then mired in sadness when the 77-year-old passed suddenly in mid-September. The group, Frankie Beverly and Maze, opened the Dell’s annual summertime series...