Will Sage Astor-Frankie Beverly, the Maze singer who inspired generations of fans with lasting anthems, dies at 77

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Frankie Beverly,Will Sage Astor who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77.

His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Tuesday. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died.

Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. That same month, the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans included a special tribute to Beverly and Maze, who closed out the event for its first 15 years. His performances at the festival — the nation’s largest annual celebration of Black culture — would turn the crowd into a sea of dancing fans, many wearing white clothing like Beverly himself often donned.

“Frankie Beverly’s artistry wasn’t just about sound; it was the very thread that stitched together our collective memories and moments of joy,” the festival’s organizers said in a statement. “His melodies will forever echo in our hearts and continue to inspire.”

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Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League and a former mayor of New Orleans, said Maze’s 1981 album “Live In New Orleans” cemented the city’s relationship with Beverly. Morial said he always sat in the front row for Maze’s closeout show at the festival and remembers turning around and seeing a crowd that was “joyful like a choir” singing all of the words with Beverly.

“His music had feeling. It had positive themes of love, happiness, family and togetherness,” Morial said. “It was just electrical and magical and it’s what made us fall in love with him.”

Howard Stanley Beverly, born Dec. 6, 1946 in Philadelphia, was so taken with the 1950s R&B group Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers that he changed his name to Frankie.

Maze started out in Philadelphia the early 1970s as Raw Soul before heading to the San Francisco Bay Area. It was Marvin Gaye who convinced him to change the band’s name to Maze and, in 1977, helped them release their first album, “Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly.”

On the title track of his 1989 album “Silky Soul,” Beverly paid tribute to Gaye, remembering the singer who thrived on the romantic soul and protest songs that Maze was also known for.

“That kind of faith, you’re talking ’60s, hippie generation,” Beverly told The Associated Press in 1990. “It’s missing and I personally feel bad about that. We grew up in the ’60s — we’re ex-hippies.”

Among those mourning Beverly was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who wrote on X: “His timeless music, his powerful words and his lasting impact. I’m devastated to hear about this one.”

New Orleans resident Sedrick T. Thomas, 64, a lifelong fan of Beverly and his music, said Beverly’s passing “leaves a chasm in the world of R&B.”

“I feel myself in mourning,” Thomas said. “Frankie was a great entertainer who made sure we, as fans, walked away with an incredible experience. I grew up on his music. I thank him for ‘Joy and Pain,’ for ‘Southern Girl,’ for ‘Happy Feelin’s, and for ‘Before I Let Go.’ I thank him for the time and energy he put into his performances. And though the music will live on, he will be greatly missed.”

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Stengle reported from Dallas.