Frankie Beverly

Howard Beverly was born on 6 December 1946 in North Philadelphia. At the age of nine he saw Frankie Lyman and such a profound influence did he have on him he would become known as "Little Frankie".

The first group Frankie joined, at the age of 12, was The Silhouettes, they had a hit single 'Get A Job'. His first band as leader was The Blenders. In 1963 he set up a vocal band called The Butlers and recorded for labels Guyden, Fairmount and Gamble Records.

In 1970 Frankie started a new band called Raw Soul. They'd get their big break when Janice Hunter saw the band and told her fiancé Marvin Gaye about them. Marvin was impressed and they opened for him on his I Want You tour, he persuaded them to change their name and they became Maze.

Maze was signed to Capitol Records in 1977 and would release one classic soul LP after another.