Frankie Beverly was the frontman for the soul/funk band Maze, known for hits like “Can’t Get Over You” and “Back in Stride.”
- Died: September 10, 2024 (Who else died on September 10?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 77.
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Frankie Beverly’s legacy
Born Howard Beverly in Philadelphia, the legendary singer and songwriter took his nickname from one of his top influences: Frankie Lymon (1942–1968) of the doo-wop group The Teenagers. Beverly’s own musical career was founded on doo-wop. He formed the singing groups The Blenders and The Butlers, and he became a member of The Silhouettes several years after they had a big doo-wop hit with “Get a Job.”
But it was The Butlers that evolved into Beverly’s biggest success. In the early 1970s, the band relocated to California, renamed themselves Raw Soul, and caught the attention of Motown great Marvin Gaye (1939–1984). Gaye convinced Beverly to change the name – Beverly later said Gaye considered the name Raw Soul ugly – and he gave their career a big boost as the opening act for his concerts. With their new name, Maze, and a deal with Capitol Records, Beverly’s band was poised for stardom.
Maze released their self-titled debut album in 1977, already billing themselves as Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. That LP began to make a splash, boosted by tracks like “Happy Feelin’s” and “While I’m Alone.” Their sophomore album a year later included the Top 10 R&B hit “Workin’ Together” and popular title track, “Golden Time of Day,” and by 1985, they had topped the R&B chart with “Before I Let Go.” The 1989 hit “Can’t Get Over You” was another No. 1 R&B single, and other Maze radio favorites during the band’s heyday included “Love Is the Key,” “Too Many Games” and “Silky Soul.”
In addition to his smooth vocals and charismatic stage presence, Beverly was known for his signature style. He wore all-white, custom-designed clothing while performing, and he was rarely seen without his white baseball cap. Beverly wrote many of the band’s songs on their eight studio albums – seven of which sold over 500,000 units, achieving gold status.
Notable quote
“The love the people give us is most amazing. I don’t care about no Grammys. It’s about the reward, not the award. I walk around on my knees I’m so thankful.” — from a 2014 interview for Ebony
Tributes to Frankie Beverly
Full obituary: Fox 13 Memphis
