The Joy and Pain of Frankie Beverly

“There was a man I knew who was as smooth as smooth can be, His music his smile and his sweet sweet melody.”

~ Frankie Beverly and Maze

Frankie Beverly

There are no words to describe the profound loss of one of the greatest entertainers of this generation. The unexpected death of Frankie Beverly at the age of 77 shocked millions of dedicated fans of the iconic master of soulful funk music. I was genuinely touched at the news of Frankie Beverly’s passing. I found myself misty-eyed listening to his playlist of my life.

Born Howard Stanley Beverly in Philadelphia, PA, he adopted the name Frankie from the legendary singer Little Frankie Lyman who he admired as a young man. Frankie was a multi-talented singer-songwriter whose smooth baritone and exuberant soul-funk anthems — about love and harmony, joy and pain, soothed the soul of his dedicated fans for decades.

Despite not producing any new music for many years, Maze consistently sold out every venue where they appeared. Maze was the annual special guest performer at the Essence Festival in New Orleans as the closing act. Anyone who has attended a Maze concert will tell you the audience sings along with every song, and were usually in the aisles partying. There’s no concert like a Maze concert.

Unbelievably I was shocked to learn that Frankie Beverly never won a Grammy nor is he in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. How could that be?

I consider myself lucky to say in my lifetime I witnessed the great Frankie Beverly in person. It’s sad that most all the greats of my baby boomer generation are gone: Marvin Gaye, Micheal Jackson, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Teddy Pendergrass, Natalie Cole, James Brown, etc., and now Frankie Beverly. Rest well, Frankie, you will live on in your sweet melodies you left.