Frankie Beverly, the soul and R&B legend who founded the funk band Maze, has died at 77. His family shared the news on September 11 via Instagram, praising his life as one lived with “pure soul” and affirming that “no one did it better.” Born on December 6, 1946, in Philadelphia,
Beverly first formed the band Raw Soul in 1970, but after moving to San Francisco and receiving a name change recommendation from Marvin Gaye, the band became Maze. They released nine gold albums between the late 1970s and early 1990s, with hits such as “Joy and Pain,” “We Are One,” “Can’t Get Over You,” and “Golden Time of Day.” Their 1981 single “Before I Let Go” became particularly renowned and was later covered by Beyoncé for her 2019 film and live album, Homecoming. Reflecting on the track in 2020, Beverly told Essence that it turned out to be “something more than I even imagined.” Earlier this year, Beverly and Maze completed a six-city farewell tour in their signature all-white outfits, and in March, Beverly received a lifetime achievement award at the NAACP Image Awards.
