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“You should know, I wanna make sure I'm right, before I let go”- “Before I Let Go” - Maze
Word has come down that singer-songwriter, guitarist Frankie Beverly, whose band Maze was one of the most influential and enduring acts in R&B, has passed away (10 Sept) at the age of 77, per his and the band’s official social channels.
The statement posted by his family did not reveal any details of his passing: "Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience," the family wrote. "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."
Beverly was best known for his smooth baritone voice and the Philly soul plus California cool anthems he and his seven (and then eight-piece) band concocted, hits that could be heard at almost every gathering or cookout in Black America. His influence continued into genres like hip-hop as artists like 50 Cent, Wale, and Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock all used Maze samples, and the band recently wrapped its farewell tour.
He was born Howard Stanley Beverly in Philadelphia on Dec. 6, 1946, changing his name to Frankie around age 12, after hearing doo-wop group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers and their hit, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.”
Beverly began performing professionally around that same time, singing similar doo-wop for early bands like The Blenders, The Silhouettes, and The Butlers. After hearing the rock, soul and funk hybrid of Sly and the Family Stone, Beverly began playing more guitar and keyboards as his sound evolved- he renamed his band Raw Soul and was soon traveling west.
An early break was Marvin Gaye’s sister-in-law catching one of the group's Bay Area performances and bringing the band to Gaye’s attention, resulting in an opening slot on Gaye's 1976 Tour and a Capitol Records deal. It was also Gaye who persuaded Beverly to change the band’s name to a single-syllable name, Maze, with Beverly liking the idea because it meant a puzzle, and it didn’t pigeonhole them into a single genre.
Their band logo was a seven-finger hand, with each digit representing a member of the band. (Beverly was the thumb) signifying all were parts of a musical whole.
The group would release nine studio albums from 1977 to 1993, all of which went Gold ,and included numerous hits like “Can’t Stop the Love”, “Silky Soul”, "Happy Feelin's", "While I'm Alone", "Golden Time of Day", “Southern Girl”, "The Look in Your Eyes", "Joy and Pain", "Before I Let Go", "We Are One", "Back in Stride", and "Can't Get Over You", among others.
While Beverly and Maze never had the true crossover success of some of his peers, the band’s fans have remained extremely devoted and had kept the shows full and the group still-popular, as musical styles and trends changed over the decades. Fans even dressed in all casual simple white with a matching ball cap, to mimic Beverly’s typical on-stage wardrobe.
Beverly preached joy, love, and togetherness when in concert, telling Ebony Magazine in 1984: “Maze means magic and love. Everybody is in this maze of life together — people of all types, colors and ages.”
| John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com |
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