NEW ORLEANS– NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Frankie Beverly, whose band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and enduring anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77.
His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died on Tuesday. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said: “He lived his life with pure soul, as you would say, and for us no one did it better.” The post did not mention his cause of death or where he died.
Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key” and “Southern Girl,” wrapped up his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. That same month, the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans included a special tribute to Beverly and Maze, closing out the event for its first 15 years. His performances at the festival – the nation’s largest annual celebration of black culture – would turn the audience into a sea of dancing fans, many wearing white clothing like Beverly herself often wore.
“Frankie Beverly’s artistry wasn’t just about sound; it was precisely the thread that stitched together our collective memories and moments of joy,” the festival organizers said in a statement. “His melodies will forever resonate in our hearts and continue to inspire.”
Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans, said Maze’s 1981 album “Live In New Orleans” strengthened the city’s relationship with Beverly. Morial said he used to sit in the front row at Maze’s closing show at the festival and remembers turning around and seeing a crowd that was “happy like a choir” singing all the words with Beverly.
“His music had feeling. It had positive themes of love, happiness, family and togetherness,” Morial said. “It was just electric and magical and that made us fall in love with him.”
Howard Stanley Beverly, born on December 6, 1946 in Philadelphia, was so taken with the R of the 1950s&B-group Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers that he changed his name to Frankie.
Maze started out in Philadelphia in the early 1970s as Raw Soul before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. It was Marvin Gaye who convinced him to change the band’s name to Maze and helped them release their first album in 1977, “Maze Features Frankie Beverly.”
On the title track of his 1989 album ‘Silky Soul’, Beverly paid tribute to Gaye, remembering the singer who thrived on the romantic soul and protest songs that Maze was also known for.
“That kind of faith, you’re talking about the ’60s, the hippie generation,” Beverly told The Associated Press in 1990. ‘It’s missing and I personally have a bad feeling about that. We grew up in the sixties, we are ex-hippies.”
Among those mourning Beverly was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who wrote on X: “His timeless music, his powerful words and his lasting impact. I am devastated to hear about this.”
New Orleans resident Sedrick T. Thomas, 64, a lifelong fan of Beverly and his music, said Beverly’s passing “leaves a chasm in the world of R&B.”
“I feel like I’m grieving,” Thomas said. “Frankie was a great entertainer who ensured that we, as fans, walked away with an incredible experience. I grew up with his music. I thank him for ‘Joy and Pain’, for ‘Southern Girl’, for ‘Happy Feelin’s’ and for ‘Before I Let Go’. I thank him for the time and energy he put into his performances. And while the music lives on, he will be greatly missed.”
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Stengle reported from Dallas.
