Frankie Beverly
Howard Stanley Beverly (December 6, 1946 – September 10, 2024), known as Frankie Beverly, was an American singer, songwriter, and producer known primarily for his recordings with Maze, the soul and funk band. He formed Maze, originally called Raw Soul, in his hometown of Philadelphia in 1970. After Maze moved to San Francisco and was introduced to Marvin Gaye, they released nine gold albums creating a large and devoted following.
Also recorded as Howard Beverly
Frankie Beverly

William Henderson darkfiber22 · Frankie from MAZE · CC BY 2.0
- Full name
- Howard Stanley Beverly.
- Born
- 1946. · Philadelphia.
- Died
- 2024. · Philadelphia.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Occupation
- singer, composer, songwriter, record producer and musician.
- Fields
- rhythm and blues, soul and funk.
- Education
- Germantown High School.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Howard Stanley Beverly (December 6, 1946 – September 10, 2024), known as Frankie Beverly, was an American singer, songwriter, and producer known primarily for his recordings with Maze, the soul and funk band. He formed Maze, originally called Raw Soul, in his hometown of Philadelphia in 1970. After Maze moved to San Francisco and was introduced to Marvin Gaye, they released nine gold albums creating a large and devoted following.
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Note VALÉORINE
Frankie Beverly (1946–2024) was a composer, musician and record producer, among other activities, of American nationality. The composer was born Howard Stanley Beverly in Philadelphia and died in Philadelphia. Frankie Beverly was educated at Germantown High School.
The work spans funk, rhythm and blues and soul. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q957010 · wikipedia · Frankie Beverly
In this article
Early life and career
Early life and career
Howard Stanley Beverly was born in Philadelphia and began singing gospel music as a schoolboy in a local church. He grew up in the East Germantown section of the city and was a graduate of Germantown High School (now defunct). As a teenager, he formed The Blenders, a short-lived a cappella doo-wop group which was influenced by the Dells, the Moonglows, and the Del Vikings. After the group dissolved, he started the Butlers in 1963 (which later became Frankie Beverly and the Butlers). It was the first group with which he recorded. In 1967, he cut "If That's What You Wanted", which became a Northern soul standard. The group caught the attention of record producer Kenny Gamble, who eventually released their recordings. Music performed by The Butlers did not fit into the "Philly Sound" and after heavy touring, the group went to San Francisco. The unit was re-christened as Raw Soul and Marvin Gaye's sister-in-law noticed them. Gaye featured them as an opening act at his shows and convinced Beverly to change the band's name to Maze. The group's popularity was enhanced considerably in the UK by Greg Edwards, a Grenadian DJ in North West England and Robbie Vincent, a London DJ in the late 1970s and early 1980s when they performed live at Lyceum Ballroom in London for broadcast on Capital Radio. They are best known there for their UK No. 57 hit single "Joy and Pain". In 2019, Beverly's hit single with Maze, "Before I Let Go" was covered by Beyoncé as a bonus track on her fifth live album Homecoming: The Live Album. Beverly told Billboard that the cover was "one of the high points of (his) life... in a class of its own" and it made him "feel bigger than ever! I feel like I have a huge smash out there." Keith Washington also covered "Before I Let Go", renamed, "We Need to Talk Before I Let Go", on his album "You Make it Easy" album in 1993.
Style
Style
Beverly's onstage attire (all white custom-designed and made casual clothing including slacks, a long-sleeved shirt, and a baseball cap) became his signature dress style over the years. It was a tradition for the audience to wear all white to the concerts in honor of the group. His son, Anthony, who toured as a drummer with Maze, along with his former wife, entertainment attorney Heather Beverly, organized a tribute album to Anthony's father called 'Silky Soul Music: An All-Star Tribute to Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly' in 2009. They founded the Brantera, a record label, as an homage to Maze's music. Mary J. Blige, Kenneth Brian Edmonds (Babyface), and Mint Condition were among the artists taking part in performing on the album.
Death
Death
Frankie Beverly died on September 10, 2024, at the age of 77.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2024
Frankie Beverly died at Philadelphia.
Honors
In 2006, Beverly received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award. At the BET Awards 2012, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award. On February 25, 2024, he received a TV One Urban One Honors Living Legend Award. On March 14, 2024, he received the NAACP Image Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. On May 18, 2024, Philadelphia City Council named the street in Germantown, Philadelphia on which Beverly grew up in his honor. On October 6, 2024, he was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. On February 1, 2025, Beverly received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award joining other recipients including Prince, the Clash, Frankie Valli, Taj Mahal, and Roxanne Shante.
References ==== External links
References ==== External links
• MazeMuze biography * • Frankie Beverly * • NPR audio feature: Frankie Beverly, the Soul of Maze with Ed Gordon • PBS audio feature: Frankie Beverly with Tavis Smiley • 75-minute audio mix of Maze songs with dialogue from Frankie Beverly Archived at the Wayback Machine
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Colin Larkin. The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. Virgin Books. 331/2. 2003. 1-85227-969-9.
- 2.Sweeting, Adam. Frankie Beverly obituary. The Guardian. September 16, 2024.
- 3.Morris, Wesley. 'Before I Let Go' is a Black Anthem and the Song of Every Summer. The New York Times. May 20, 2021.
- 4.Roberts, David. British Hit Singles & Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. 357. 2006. 1-904994-10-5.
- 5.Frankie Beverly Responds to Beyonce Covering His Maze Hit 'Before I Let Go'. Billboard. April 24, 2019.
- 6.Silky Soul Music: An All-Star Tribute to Maze Various Artists.
- 7.Mitman, Hayden. Legendary R&B artist, native Philadelphian Frankie Beverly dies at 77. NBC10 Philadelphia. September 11, 2024.
- 8.Grein, Paul. Here Are All the Recipients of BET's Lifetime Achievement Award. Billboard. 2022-06-13.
- 9.Derrick Bryson Taylor, and Richard Sandomir. Frankie Beverly, Frontman of the Soul Group Maze, Is Dead at 77. The New York Times. September 11, 2024.
- 10.Karoff, Timothy. Bay Area musical legend Frankie Beverly of Maze dies at 77. San Francisco Gate. September 11, 2024.
- 11.Smith, Harrison. Frankie Beverly, exuberant singer-songwriter for Maze, dies at 77. Washington Post. 2024-09-11. 0190-8286.
- 12.Frankie Beverly, the Maze singer who inspired generations of fans with lasting anthems, dies at 77. AP News. 2024-09-11.
- 13.Dave's Music Database: Rhythm & Blues Foundation – Pioneer Awards. Dave's Music Database. 2008-09-12.
- 14.R&B Foundation. Frankie Beverly: R&B Foundation Pioneer Award (2006). 2015-06-21.
- 15.Medium, Seattle. IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Soul Icon Frankie Beverly Passes Away At 76. The Seattle Medium. 2024-09-12.
- 16.Grein, Paul. Here Are All the Recipients of BET's Lifetime Achievement Award. Billboard. 2022-06-13.
- 17.Urban One Honors. TV One. 2024-02-12.
- 18.Abraham, Mya. Chlöe, Dionne Warwick, Donald Lawrence, And Frankie Beverly Named 2024 Urban One Honorees. VIBE.com. 2024-01-04.
- 19.Grein, Paul. Dionne Warwick, Mary J. Blige, Chloé Bailey & More to Be Saluted at 2024 Urban One Honors. Billboard. 2024-01-09.
- 20.Mary J. Blige To Receive Entertainment Icon Award At 2024 Urban One Honors. Essence. 2024-01-10.
- 21.Bechara, Diego Ramos. New Edition to Be Inducted Into NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame; Frankie Beverly to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award. Variety. 2024-03-07.
- 22.Germantown street renamed in honor of Philadelphia musical icon. 6abc Philadelphia. 2024-05-18.
- 23.Paul Grein. Prince, The Clash, Frankie Valli & More To Receive 2025 Lifetime Achievement Awards from Recording Academy: Full List. Billboard. December 20, 2024.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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