Frankie Beverly, an honorary New Orleanian, has died
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Frankie Beverly was honored by Mayor LaToya Cantrell and former Mayor Marc Morial this summer. Photo: Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for Essence
Frankie Beverly might have been born in Philadelphia, but he was as much an honorary New Orleanian as anyone could be.
Why it matters: Beverly died Tuesday at 77, according to a family statement posted to his Instagram account.
What they said: "He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better," the statement reads. "He lived for his music, family and friends."
Zoom in: With his band Maze, Beverly was in New Orleans almost constantly for decades.
- That includes closing gigs at Essence Fest, repeat appearances at Jazz Fest and recording the 1981 R&B and soul classic "Live in New Orleans" at the Saenger Theatre.
- That album came out the year New Orleans musician PJ Morton was born, he wrote on Instagram, "so it's just always been there."
"I didn't realize until later that [Beverly] wasn't from New Orleans," Morton wrote. "We've always held him as our own."
Beverly's last New Orleans performance was in May during a sold-out Smoothie King Center stop as part of his farewell tour.
Go deeper: Beverly's New York Times obituary.
