Frankie Beverly, lead singer and founder of Maze, dies at the age of 77

CNN
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Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze gave the world an anthem that will forever be associated with barbecues and good times, died on Tuesday, his family announced.

He was 77.

Beverly’s family released a statement on the band’s social media accounts that began: “Grief over the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience.”

“During this time as we grapple with feelings of grief, reflection and remembrance, we politely ask for privacy and understanding so that we have the space to grieve in our own way,” their statement continued. “This time is a time 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 a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.”

“He lived for his music, his family and his friends. Love one another as he would have wanted us all to love him,” the statement signed by the Beverly family concluded. Howard Stanley Beverly aka Frankie Beverly 6.12.46 – 10.9.24.”

The cause of death was not disclosed. CNN has contacted Beverly’s representative for comment.

Born in Philadelphia, Beverly began playing music at an early age, performing as a soloist in church during his childhood in the East Germantown neighborhood.

As a teenager, he sang with an ensemble called The Silhouettes before forming his own doo-wop group, The Blenders.

According to legend, Beverly changed his first name to Frankie for the stage, as a tribute to the singer Frankie Lymon, who became famous as a doo-wop singer as part of the group “Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers”.

In 1970, Beverly formed the group Maze, originally known as Raw Soul.

Their mix of soul, funk and R&B reportedly caught the attention of legendary singer Marvin Gaye, who invited them to tour with him as his opening act.

It opened the door for Beverly and the band to years of hits and success with hits like “Joy and Pain,” “Golden Time of Day,” “We Are One,” “Happy Feelin’s” and a song that is touted as “the unofficial motto of summer and any gathering of people who come together to party – ‘Before I Let Go!'” according to the band’s website.

“Before I Let Go” became such a big hit in the black community that Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 concert film “Homecoming.” The song is also the subject of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris’ New York Times podcast “Still Processing.”

“She kept it a secret until her people called me one day… when they played it, I was blown away,” Beverly said of the Beyoncé rendition. “It’s one of the highlights of my life.”

Beverly and Maze continued to tour for decades, and in 2012 Beverly received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. He announced his retirement earlier this year.