Legendary Soul singer Frankie Beverly has died aged 77.
Beverly, who founded the Philadelphia funk band Maze, died on Tuesday, his family announced on Instagram.
In an emotional message, the Beverly family encouraged his fans to “love one another as he would want that for us all”.
A statement on the singer’s official page said: “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.
“This period for 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 cause of Beverly’s death was not disclosed.
Born Howard Beverly on December 6, 1946, in Philadelphia the singer-songwriter began his music career in the 1960s when he formed the doo-wop musical group The Blenders.
Maze, who were originally called Raw Soul before Marvin Gaye convinced them to change their name, were formed by Beverly in Philadelphia in 1970.
The group supported Gaye on tour and the band released nine albums between 1977 and 1993.
Beyoncé covered Beverly’s hit single Before I Let Go in 2019 as a bonus track on Homecoming: The Live Album.
Beverly later said that the cover made him "feel bigger than ever".
He told Billboard at the time: "She’s a great friend of mine, but I didn’t know she was going to do this."
He added that it was "one of the high points of [his] life"
