Frankie Beverly December 6, 1946 – September 10, 2024
Frankie Beverly, originally named Howard Beverly, was born on December 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the East Germantown area of the city. From an early age, he began singing gospel music at a local church, where he was often featured as a soloist. By the time he was 13, in 1959, Beverly had joined a group called The Silhouettes. By the age of 16, he had formed his own a cappella, doo-wop group known as The Blenders. Beverly graduated from Germantown High School in 1964. Inspired by R&B doo-wop icon Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Beverly adopted the first name “Frankie” to honor his idol.
In 1970, Beverly established the band Maze in Philadelphia, taking on the role of lead vocalist. Initially named Raw Soul, the group served as the touring backup band for R&B legend Marvin Gaye, who suggested they change their name to Maze. In 1971, Beverly made a significant move to San Francisco, California.
Frankie Beverly and Maze achieved numerous chart-topping hits during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. Their debut album, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, was released in 1976 and achieved gold status, selling over 500,000 copies. The album featured the hit “While I’m Alone,” which climbed to no. 21 on the Billboard R&B chart and no. 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. From their 1979 album Inspiration, the song “Feel That You’re Feelin’” reached no. 7 on the R&B chart, while “Southern Girl” from their Joy and Pain album peaked at no. 9 R&B in 1980. Their 1981 release, Live in New Orleans, included the tracks “Running Away,” which reached no. 55 R&B, and “Before I Let Go,” which hit no. 13 R&B. In 1985, “Too Many Games” from the album Can’t Stop the Love climbed to no. 5 R&B, while “Back In Stride” peaked at no. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 1989 single “Can’t Get Over You” reached no. 59 R&B, and two songs from their 1990 album Silky Soul, “Love’s On the Run” and “Songs of Love,” peaked at no. 13 and no. 37 on the R&B chart, respectively.
In recognition of his contributions to music, Beverly received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in Los Angeles, California, in 2012. Continuing to captivate audiences, he performed at the 2019 Essence Festival held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
So thankful for the many gifts of Frankie Beverly!
