Frankie Beverly of Maze Announces His ‘I Wanna Thank You Farewell Tour’
After more than 50 years of being the soundtrack to Black America, R&B legends Frankie Beverly and Maze have announced their farewell tour, Billboard reports.
Beginning on March 22, the “I Wanna Thank You Farewell Tour” launches in Atlanta at the State Farm Arena with the final show in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum on May 12.
In July, Beverly will return to his hometown of Philadelphia with a street renamed in his honor.
Beverly,77, who was discovered and mentored by Marvin Gaye, shared his appreciation for the band’s loyal following that has been supportive since their debut.
“I want to share with my lifelong fans and associates that I’ll be going out on the road one last time, then retire. Thank you so much for the support given to me for over 50 years as I pass on the lead vocalist torch to Tony Lindsay,” Beverly said. “The band will continue on as Maze Honoring Frankie Beverly. It’s been a great ride through the decades. Let the music of my legacy continue.”
The farewell tour is being produced by the Black Promoters Collective (BPC) who also released a statement about the band’s iconic stature.
“Since the ‘70s, the legendary Frankie Beverly has blessed us with timeless hits such as ‘Happy Feelings,’ ‘Golden Time of Day,’ ‘Joy and Pain’ and the seminal party starter ‘Before I Let Go,” Gary Guidry, CEO of BPC said.“His music has contributed to the soundtrack of our lives by enriching our experiences with his soulful melodies. We are honored to join forces with him on his farewell tour.”
With the release of their debut album, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly in 1977, the group went on to land 29 hit singles on the R&B charts, including several No.1s. Of the band's 12 charting albums, eight were certified Gold.
Although they haven’t released a new album since Back to Basics in 1993, the band’s popularity grew immensely as they became one of the best live acts with electric performances across the globe.
Frankie Beverly & Maze’s” I Wanna Thank You Farewell Tour” tickets are currently on sale.
Below is the full list of shows:
March 22 — State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
April 6 — Mobile County Fairgrounds, Mobile, Alabama
April 13 — Toyota Arena, Houston, Texas
April 27 — United Center, Chicago, Illinois
May 12 — KIA Forum, Los Angeles, California
July 6 - Dell Music Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania