Frankie Beverly, singer of “Before I Let Go” and Maze founder, dies at the age of 77

Frankie Beverly, legendary singer known for the song “Before I Let Go” and founder of the group Maze, died on September 10. He was 77 years old.

The Philadelphia-born singer's death was confirmed in a statement shared by his family on Instagram on September 11.

“Grief over the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience,” the message began. “During this time as we grapple with feelings of grief, reflection and remembrance, we politely ask for privacy and understanding so we have the space to grieve in our own ways.”

The family continued, “This is a time of healing for us and we appreciate your respect for our need for solitude as we honor the memory of our beloved Howard Stanley Beverly, known to the world as Frankie Beverly.”

“He lived his life with what you would call a pure soul, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, his family and his friends,” the statement said. “Love one another as he would have wanted us all to love.”

Beverly's cause of death is currently unknown. A rep for the singer did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Beverly was born on December 6, 1946 and grew up listening to gospel music. During her high school years, she formed a group called “Blenders,” as The Philadelphia TribuneHowever, the company did not last very long as he founded another group, the Butlers, in 1963.

The Butlers moved to California's Bay Area in 1971 and changed their name to Raw Soul, which the source said was suggested to them again on the advice of fellow musician and tour mate Marvin Gaye. The group then became known as Maze.

In 1977 the group released their first album, Maze with Frankie Beverlywhich was their first of nine gold-certified full-length releases. The group scored two No. 1 albums on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts during her career: 1985 Love cannot be stopped and 1989 Silky soul.

Maze also recorded nine top 10 singles on the Billboard They have been on the top R&B/Hip-Hop charts throughout their career, including two No. 1 hits: 1985's “Back in Stride” and 1989's “Can't Get Over You.”

The group's most famous hit is “Before I Let Go” from the 1981 album Live from New Orleans. The song peaked at number 13 on the charts after its initial release and has become a staple at weddings and other gatherings, particularly in black culture.

“It was about a relationship I was in. It went up and down and I ended up writing a song because I felt like I had to get out of it,” Beverly said. Billboard of the song in 2019. “I was so into the girl, but it just wasn't working out. I thought, 'What am I supposed to do?' and that thought inspired the song. I wanted to try to do all of these things 'before I let go.'”

“Before I Let Go” was given new life in 2019, thanks to Beyoncé's cover of the song for Homecoming: The Live AlbumBeverly told Billboard the cover is “definitely a blessing”.

“Other people have performed my songs, but the way she did it was in a class of its own. I'm hearing from people I haven't heard from in years. She did something that impacted my life,” he said at the time. “I haven't spoken to a publication like yours in a long time. So this changed everything for me.”

Beverly continued to tour until shortly before his death, completing a series of concerts with Maze (in a new line-up) in July.

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In May, he was honored with a ceremonial renaming of the block in Philadelphia’s Germantown where his parents’ house stands to “Frankie Beverly Way,” The Philadelphia Tribune.

“I want to thank you all for being with me on this journey,” Beverly said during an event celebrating the moment, according to the outlet. “Today is not a closing chapter, but a new beginning. There's more to come.”