Frankie Beverly and Maze‘s timeless hit, “Before I Let Go” is now an RIAA platinum certified record.
The significant feat comes three months after Beverly’s death and over 40 years since its release.
“Before I Let Go” came out in 1981 and was the second single from the band’s first live album, Live In New Orleans. Despite it being a live album, the single was a studio recording. Written and produced by Beverly, it peaked No. 13 on the Billboard R&B chart. Over the years, it’s become a cultural staple and was reimagined by Beyoncé for her 2018 Coachella performance.
Beverly died on Sept. 10 at the age of 77.
His family confirmed the tragic news in a statement: “Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience […] 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. Love one another as he would want that for us all.”
Following his death, Beverly garnered three posthumous top 10 entries on Billboard’s R&B Digital Song Sales, Rated R&B reported.
“Before I Let Go” debuted at No. 2 while “Joy and Pain” debuted at No. 4 and “Golden Time of Day” came in at No. 7. “Before I Let Go” also debuted on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart at No. 7. “Joy and Pain” landed at No. 11 on the chart.
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