Frankie Beverly, soulful ‘Before I Let Go’ singer and Maze founder, dies at 77

Image Name: Singing at a concert

Image Credit: USA Today

Frankie Beverly, widely regarded as an iconic R&B figure, passed away today at age 77. The death of Beverly, known for his soulful voice and timeless songs like “Before I Let Go,” is signaling the end of an era in music, leaving behind mourners among fans and fellow musicians who will miss a trailblazer with a career spanning more than five decades.

A Soulful Journey
Howard Beverly was born on December 6th 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Beverly grew up in a family where music played an important role hence his love for it was evident from childhood. His gospel music emergence occurred via singing along the local church choir while he was still young, later on forming several vocal groups such as The Blenders and The Butlers during adolescence. Nonetheless, it was the formation of Maze in early 70s that would ensure his place in history.

Originally known as Raw Soul, Maze was established after Beverly moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco. The band’s great light came when Marvin Gaye who was one of the most respected R&B artists during that period also favored this distinctive sound thus offered help. It was suggestive of Gaye to change the name from Raw Soul to Maze thereby marking their rise to stardom in the world of music.

Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly: The Rise of Maze
Maze rapidly became an essential part of soul and R & B music worlds, especially recognized for their electrifying live shows. The group’s first album titled Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly came out in 1977 and it achieved tremendous success when it got to the top 10 on R & B charts; one song released out of this album was “Happy Feelin’s” which had smooth vocals supplied by Beverly himself along with multi-electronic-soul-funk-jazz-like sounds produced by the band.

Maze created many hits through time such as “Joy and Pain,” “We Are One,” “Golden Time of Day” and “Before I Let Go” that is without doubt the most popular one. It was released in 1981 and became a cultural sensation. It served as an unofficial national anthem at all parties, barbeques and family reunions that spoke for happiness and festivities. The song retained its appeal because in 2019 Beyonce included a remake into her album named Homecoming thus educating some few young on how great Beverly is.

An Enduring Infamy
The commendable office that Beverly occupies was not limited to his art. He was a chart-topping musician who wore white clothes all the time and had this type of hat to match them; he would charm anyone watching him performing on stage. Many people claim they have had spiritual experiences when attending his concerts exposing how closely linked he was with the audience during performances. With fans from all walks of life, who were sometimes even in their sixties or more, Beverly was more than an entertainer; he was a narrator serving melodies as a device to unravel the intricacies of love, grief, happiness and society.

Beverly held on to his unique sound throughout his years in music. He resisted industry’s attempts at making him comply with fluctuating tastes in modern R&B and pop by remaining authentic which endeared him to many listeners. “I don’t write music for today or tomorrow,” he once noted in an interview. “I write music for forever.” This doctrine helped Maze preserve its faithful following and guarantee their products would never grow old.

Tributes have been torrenting in
The announcement that Beverly is no more has generated tons of tributes from fans, fellow musicians and public figures. Many people on social media platforms have thronged in to share their heartfelt messages and memories regarding Beverly and his music.

Beyoncé who recently did a cover for Beverly’s “Before I let go” keeps on saying this on her Instagram account: “So many of our lives were spent with frankie Beverly’s sounds behind them”. The voice from this man, something within us when we hear him sing will always remain. May he rest in power.”

Questlove, drummer of The Roots also shared his admiration: “Frankie Beverly’s music was the perfect mix of sweet and soul. Today we have lost an icon in music history but he left some soothing sounds.”

A Gentle Giant
Beverly, who was world-renowned for his humility and simplicity in ways that no other person ever could, often expressed how he felt about his fans and the life he lived. Nevertheless, he remained a humble guy even after achieving great success, avoiding all forms of attention from cameras with the intention of letting his music speak for itself. Interestingly enough, whenever he was interviewed, he would speak about how much he would like to unite people through music which was something that he skillfully did.

Beverly was more than just a vocalist; he was also a composer and producer, playing an important role in the generation process as well as production of Maze works. His industry demeanor and common practice were renowned among other artists even as they went around in tours performing songs from popular albums still hitting on Billboard charts. Out on the way too long before they made their comeback were Maze but also his favorite backup band during those decades when it was hard to find anyone who could make sense out of life.

Health Challenges and Resilience
In the past couple of years or so there have been health challenges for Beverly that made it hard for him to perform because of vocal cords problems. Nevertheless, this did not prevent him from touring and performing because according to him, passion for both his music as well as their audience were more important than anything else if someone wants to be recognized throughout history especially by people like them. Always filled with same energy patterns which met early on in participation would always characterize all of Beverly’s performances although later on we heard different stories behind curtains – those were supposed always sleepless nights spent somewhere either abroad or at home when trying out all possible remedies together with doctors’ calls.”

A Lasting Impact
Frankie Beverly has created a hole that cannot be filled in the world of music with his demise. The stain he has left in the music genre of soul and R&B is eternal. His producing ability that resonated from generation to generation, cultures, is indicative of his genius and passion. Beverly’s music shall always continue to inspire and glorify thus comes as proof of the strength behind soulful narratives.

As we say goodbye to this unforgettable artist, followers across the globe recall how his work brought them happiness, solace, hope etc. Frankie Beverly might have vanished from this universe but through songs he sang and melodies he played people will always remember him.

Frankie Beverly has passed away but he has left behind family members relatives and innumerable fans who will always keep in their hearts songs whose lyrics are about their lives’ soundtracks.

For more updates click here