Frankie Beverly, the founder of the funk band Maze and famed soul singer, has passed away at 77.
More Details On The Passing Of Frankie Beverly
According to FOX 13 Memphis, Beverly’s death, which reportedly took place on Tuesday, September 10, was announced via social media by his family on Wednesday, September 11.
“Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. 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,” the family’s statement read.
The family’s statement continued, explaining that Beverly “lived his life with pure soul.”
“…and for us, no one did it better,” the statement continued. “He lived for his music, family, and friends.”
Lastly, the statement concluded by sharing one thing Beverly would have “want[ed] for us all.”
“Love one another as he would want that for us all,” the statement concluded.
See the Beverly family’s full post, shared via Instagram below.
According to USA Today, the outlet has reached out to Beverly’s representative for additional comment on his passing.
Social Media Sends Prayers In Reaction To The Passing Of The Maze Founder & Singer
Social media users reacted to Frankie Beverly’s passing in the comment section of the family’s Instagram post.
Instagram user @thekristianasmith wrote, “We’re gonna need a minute…
While Instagram user @djsoulsister added, “It will take a minute to process this. I thank Frankie Beverly so much.
Instagram user @caramelnoonu wrote, “I’m 37 and play this man everyday the impact he had in the black households is unmatched…”
While Instagram user @msshaunrobinson added, “Our hearts are broken. Summers will never be the same. Thank you for giving us the soundtrack of our lives. ”
Furthermore, additional sentiments were shared in The Shade Room’s comment section.
Instagram user @coopdajuice wrote, “A critical puzzle piece to Black family reunions & cookouts across the country, check on yall aunties today ”
While Instagram user @_iamkitana_ added, “This man was our child hood, our family reunions, our family weddings, birthday partys, our late night Saturday rides, our after church music and most importantly a HOUSEHOLD NAME for many black generations”
Instagram user @kourtneythebbw_x wrote, “Joyyyy and pain, sunshine and rainnnn ”
While Instagram user @lady._jayy added, “First Beatking then Fatman Scoop Then Rich Homie Quan Then James Earl Jones Now Frankie Beverly damn 2024″
More Details On Frankie Beverly’s Career
ccording to USA Today, Beverly initially founded the Maze band under the name “Raw Soul” in 1970. The group reportedly released multiple gold albums and became a household name with their 1981 single, ‘Before I Let Go.’
Almost forty years later, Beyonc sampled the song in her ‘Homecoming’ film and “corresponding live album.”
Shes done so much, this is one of the high points of my life,” Beverly told Billboard in April 2019 after the cover’s release.
Most recently, Beverly and the Maze band embarked on a six-city tour called the “I Wanna Thank You Tour.” Per TMZ, the tour would become Beverly’s last and officially concluded in July.
Jadriena SolomonJadriena “Jade” Solomon is a journalist and editor, specializing in beauty, fashion, entertainment, and culture. A graduate of CUNY Brooklyn College’s Journalism and Media Studies program, she began her career in 2015, publishing independent op-ed articles, and has since built a strong digital media portfolio across reporting, editing, and hosting for major media companies. As The Shade Room’s Senior Editor, Jadriena helps lead editorial direction, manages writers and editors, and has contributed more than 2,600 stories with over 45M page views since her start in 2022. Her past roles include contributing and staff positions at HelloBeautiful, Blavity News, 21Ninety, and Bronze Magazine. She has interviewed talents such as Tamron Hall, Eboni K. Williams, Tia Mowry, LeToya Luckett, Salt-N-Pepa, and more.
