Join Hot 105 Friday for a National Whiteout for Frankie 🤍🕊
Macy's Music Festival - Day 2 CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 25: Frankie Beverly performs during day 2 of the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paul Brown Stadium on July 25, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Stephen Cohen/Getty Images) (Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)
ByLeeann Reilly and DJ Millennium
Join Hot 105 & the nation this Friday, September 20th in honoring the late Frankie Beverly by wearing all white!
Frankie Beverly was known for his iconic all white attire at his concerts. Take pictures of you and your friends in your all white Friday and tag us on Facebook and Instagram and use the hashtag #starwhiteoutforfrankie, as we pay homage to the legend, Frankie Beverly.
Beverly passed away on September 10th at the age of 77.
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Summer Soul Presents Frankie Beverly & Maze In Concert NEWARK, NJ - JULY 12: Frankie Beverly and the Maze perform at the Summer Soul Concert series at Newark Symphony Hall on July 12, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
Summer Soul Presents Frankie Beverly & Maze In Concert NEWARK, NJ - JULY 12: Frankie Beverly and the Maze perform at the Summer Soul Concert series at Newark Symphony Hall on July 12, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
2019 ESSENCE Festival Presented By Coca-Cola - Louisiana Superdome- Day 3 NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 07: Frankie Beverly performs onstage during the 2019 ESSENCE Festival Presented By Coca-Cola at Louisiana Superdome on July 07, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE) (Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Summer Soul Presents Frankie Beverly & Maze In Concert NEWARK, NJ - JULY 12: Frankie Beverly and the Maze perform at the Summer Soul Concert series at Newark Symphony Hall on July 12, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
Macy's Music Festival - Day 2 CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 25: Frankie Beverly performs during day 2 of the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paul Brown Stadium on July 25, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Stephen Cohen/Getty Images) (Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)
GA: Soulfest Atlanta 2004 - Day 2 ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 5: Frankie Beverly and Mase perform at at SoulFest Atlanta 2004 held at The Green Lot, Turner Field September 5, 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Quantrell Colbert/Getty Images) (Quantrell Colbert/Getty Images)
Summer Soul Presents Frankie Beverly & Maze In Concert NEWARK, NJ - JULY 12: Frankie Beverly and the Maze perform at the Summer Soul Concert series at Newark Symphony Hall on July 12, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture Presented By Coca-Cola - Day 3 - Caesar's Superdome NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 07: Frankie Beverly (C) receives a gift onstage during Day 3 of the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola at Caesars Superdome on July 07, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE) (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Summer Soul Presents Frankie Beverly & Maze In Concert NEWARK, NJ - JULY 12: Frankie Beverly and the Maze perform at the Summer Soul Concert series at Newark Symphony Hall on July 12, 2009 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture Presented By Coca-Cola - Day 3 - Caesar's Superdome NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 07: Frankie Beverly receives a gift onstage during Day 3 of the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola at Caesars Superdome on July 07, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE) (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Beverly, whose real name was Howard Stanley Beverly, was born in Philadelphia in 1946 and grew up there singing gospel. He founded his first band — the Blenders — while he was in high school, The Philadelphia Tribune reported.
He adopted the name Frankie when he was about 12 years old after hearing “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” performed by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, The Washington Post reported.
He then founded the group the Butlers in 1963 which moved from the East Coast to the California Bay area in 1971, changing the name to Raw Soul. The band changed its name once again at the urging of Marvin Gaye, calling itself Maze.
People magazine said Maze released its first album “Maze featuring Frankie Beverly” in 1977. It was the group’s first Gold-certified full-length album. In all the band earned nine gold albums.
“Can’t Stop the Love,” released in 1985 and “Silky Soul,” released in 1989, both hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Maze’s biggest hit was “Before I Let Go” from “Live from New Orleans,” released in 1981. It became the go-to song for weddings and other gatherings in the Black community, People said.
“There isn’t a cookout, not a wedding or a family reunion in Black America where you won’t hear” the song, Essence magazine wrote in 2017.
“It was about a relationship I was in. It was just up and down, and by the end of it I wrote a song because I was feeling I needed to get out of it,” Beverly told Billboard 2019. “I was so into the girl, but it just wasn’t working out. I was thinking, ‘What am I gonna do?’ and that thought inspired the song. I was going to try to do all of these things ‘before I let go.’”
Beyoncé introduced the song to new generations when she produced a cover of it for “Homecoming: The Live Album.” He called Queen Bey’s version a blessing.
“Other people have done my songs, but the way she did this was in a class of its own. I’m hearing from people I haven’t heard from in years. She’s done something that has affected my life,” Beverly told Billboard. “I haven’t even spoken to a publication like yours in quite a while. So it’s changed things around for me.”
Additional songs were sampled by performers such as 50 Cent, Wale and Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, The Washington Post reported.
Beverly continued performing through the years, finishing several concerts with Maze just two months ago, People reported.
The Washington Post said that in addition to singing Beverly was also a producer and a guitar player.
DJ Millennium
DJ Millennium was born in Maryland and raised in Jacksonville, FL. His love of music came from his parents. He furthered his love of music by joining his college radio station at his beloved alma mater, Bethune Cookman University. He has been in the radio industry for over 12 years.