Maze's frontman and originator, Frankie Beverly, has passed away at the age of 77.
He was 77 years old.
Beverly's family shared a message on the band's social media platforms, starting with: "Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience."
They continued with: "During this time, as we are dealing with feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance, we kindly ask for privacy and understanding. This allows us the space to grieve in our own way. This period is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude during this time is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly, known to the world as Frankie Beverly."
The family went on to say: "He lived his life with a pure soul, and for us, no one did it better."
They added: "He lived for his music, family, and friends. Love one another as he would have wanted that for all of us." The message was signed by the Beverly family. Howard Stanley Beverly aka Frankie Beverly was born on 12/6/46 and passed away on 9/10/24. No cause of death was shared. CNN has reached out to Beverly's representative for comment.
Born in Philadelphia, Beverly started his music career early, performing as a soloist in church while growing up in the East Germantown section of the city.
As a teenager, he sang with an ensemble called The Silhouettes before forming his own doo-wop group, The Blenders. Legend has it that Beverly changed his first name to Frankie for the stage in homage to singer Frankie Lymon, who found fame singing doo-wop as part of the group Frankie Lymon and the teenagers.
In 1970 Beverly founded the group Maze, which was originally known as Raw Soul. Their mix of soul, funk, and R&B reportedly captured the attention of legendary singer Marvin Gaye, who invited them to tour with him as his opening act.
This opened the door for years of hits and success for Beverly and the band with hits like "Joy and Pain," "Golden Time of Day," "We Are One," "Happy Feelin’s" and a song touted as "the unofficial theme of Summer and any gathering of people who have come to party—’Before I Let Go!’," according to the band’s site.
"Before I Let Go" became such a staple in the Black community that Beyoncé covered it for her 2019 film concert film “Homecoming.” It is also the subject of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris’s New York Times podcast, “Still Processing.”
“She kept it quiet, until her people called me one day...when they played it, I was blown away,” Beverly said about the Beyoncé rendition. “This is one of the high points 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.
In memory of Howard Stanley Beverly, also known as Frankie Beverly, the family asked for privacy during this time of grief, mentioning that his love for music, family, and friends should inspire unity among everyone. According to the band's site, "Before I Let Go" by Maze is a beloved song, frequently played as a gathering anthem, and was even covered by Beyoncé for her film concert "Homecoming." This song was also discussed on the New York Times podcast "Still Processing."
