Frankie Beverly Dies: Soul Singer & Leader Of Funk Band Maze Was 77
deadline.comFrankie Beverly, the influential soul singer who was a founder of the hit-making funk band Maze, died Tuesday, September 10.
He was 77. His death was announced by family members on Facebook. A cause and location of death were not disclosed. “He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better,” the family statement read, in part. “He lived for his music, family and friends.” Born Howard Stanley Beverly on December 6, 1946, Beverly in 1970 formed the band that then was called Raw Soul in his hometown of Philadelphia.
He and the band soon moved to California where, by the mid-1970s, they came to the attention of Motown legend Marvin Gaye, who invited the group to serve as his opening act on a tour.
Gaye also suggested the name change from Raw Soul to Maze. In 1976, Maze signed with Capitol Records and released debut album Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly the following year,.
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