“Before I Let Go” singer Frankie Beverly dies at 77

Frankie Beverly, best known for his song “Before I Let Go,” died on Tuesday at the age of 77.

His family announced the news Wednesday in a statement shared to his Facebook account.

“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,” they wrote. “This period … is one of healing, and your respect for our need for solitude is appreciated as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly known to the world as Frankie Beverly.”

“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,” the statement continued, adding this message to Frankie’s fans: “Love one another as he would want that for us all.”

Born on Dec. 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Frankie founded a group called the Blenders and later formed another group called the Butlers. The latter was renamed Raw Soul and eventually Maze following a suggestion from Marvin Gaye. They went on to release nine Gold albums, including two #1 R&B singles, 1985’s “Back in Stride” and 1989’s “Can’t Get Over You.”

Their most popular track, however, is their Live in New Orleans cut “Before I Let Go,” which peaked at #13 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1981 and has gone on to be a fan favorite, often played at summer barbecues, family reunions and other gatherings in the Black community. Beyoncé also released her rendition of the song on 2019’s Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, which he said was “one of the high points of my life.”

While played in celebrations, “Before I Let Go” is actually a song about a lost love.

“I was seeing some lady but I was just with someone (else) and we broke up,” Frankie told Essence in 2020. “And it got kind of hard because I wasn’t with the woman I wanted to be with and I couldn’t stay with the one I was with.”

He said the song “really did turn out to be something more than I even imagined,” adding, “I got blessed with that.”

After years of performing, Beverly retired after Maze’s six-city I Wanna Thank You Tour earlier this year. He was honored by the NAACP Image Awards with the lifetime achievement award in March.