Singer Frankie Beverly dies at age 77

Singer Frankie Beverly has died. The Philadelphia artist, known for his R&B music, died Tuesday at age 77.

It was his family who, through a statement posted on Instagram, announced that Beverly had died of causes that have not yet been disclosed.

"Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way," his loved ones asked in the statement.

Born in 1946, Beverly began his musical career as a teenager, as a member of the band The Silhouettes, later forming his own group that mainly performed doo-wop tunes, a subgenre of R&B, entitled The Blenders.

In 1970, recalls CBS News, he formed a new group, Raw Soul, which years later was renamed Frankie Beverly and Maze.

Just a few months earlier, the artist decided to move to San Francisco, where he worked with artist Marvin Gaye, who suggested he change his name. "The Motown master would take the group under his wing and it was Gaye who suggested the group change their name. Frankie Beverly and Maze was born," reports Beverly's website.

It was the beginning of a life that, his children assured in the statement, he devoted entirely to music and his family and friends. "He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family and friends. Love one another as he would want that for us all," they assured.

Among his highlights are "Joy and Pain," "Happy Feelin's" and "Before I Let Go." The latter song, moreover, was covered in 2019 by the artist Beyoncé for her album "Homecoming," giving again visibility to Frankie Beverly's songs years after they became known.