He Was A Lovely Inspiration
Not since April 21, 2016 (RIP Prince) has my soul been disrupted of the passing of a beloved artist whom I felt the kinship of family. Under a week ago, we lost the genius of Frankie Beverly, and while he didn’t know me personally, I am convinced that he knew how he touched me as well as millions of others. So, while I know this blog is to designed to get us closer to the Creator, I cannot help but think that there are some folx placed in the earth realm to move as extensions of God and Frankie Beverly served as an ambassador without question. Yesterday morning while getting dressed to leave NY and return home to NC, I was listening to Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly. My daughter said, “You really miss him, don’t you?” I told her, “More than I can explain.” I went on to say, “I’ve got to blog about it to make some sense.” Here goes.
I can’t recall the precise moment that I fell in love with that voice, but it was circa 1970’s something. I was visiting my aunt and cousins in Arkansas. It was the annual “trip down south” from Chicago. I’ve loved music for as long as I can recall, however, that voice, that instrumentation and those lyrics even without full understanding of them, did something for me. From that moment of hearing Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly, I was hooked. I embraced the tenacity of “Southern Girl” before I became one. I have high school memories singing, “Silky Soul,” Maze and Frankie’s tribute to their mentor, Marvin Gaye. In college, my suitemate, later line sister was “Joy” and I was “Pain.” At a Maze featuring Frankie Beverly concert, I ran into a guy I was dating, who was there with someone else. He had the audacity to come over by me during, “We are 1.” That still makes me chuckle. I suppose I was grateful for the ability of “Running Away,” from that tragedy unfolding. I have memories of Frankie’s music at every cookout, and driving along the lakefront in Chicago or through the NC mountains. “Lovely Inspiration” allows me to stand in the presence of God and in “Never Let You Down,” reassures me of His redeeming love. I have been to more Maze featuring Frankie Beverly concerts that I can count, where more than the adornment of white, there is love, affirmation and joy[SH1] . At my 50th birthday celebration, the DJ did a mashup of Frankie and Beyonce, an infusion of “Before I Let Go.” Like the lyrics of the song, “He’s given me a reason,” one more time. So perhaps you understand his voice being the fabric of my life. The music he sang represented and reflected reconciliation, no matter what. I would suggest this is the crux of why the music centered the practice of faith, which I hold fast.
Matthew 5:23-24 reads, “his is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.” In each song, in every lyric, through every beat and tone, Frankie preached being a conduit of oneness, cohesiveness, peace, unity and love. And although he will be missed, we have his legacy of music. I believe he “worked things out with God,” and will now present as one of our ancestors, leading and guiding in heaven as he did on earth. In the sweet, melodic, loving words he crooned, God, “ I wanna thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you
Thank you, thank you, thank you” for allowing such a beautiful soul to inhabit the earth.
Mr. Frankie Beverly, may you rest in the power you desired for us to emulate, the kindness you professed us to demonstrate and the intentionality to love one another in all we do. We will endeavor to “Never Let You Down.”