Frankie Beverly & Maze

After eight lean years with the Butlers, Frankie Beverly changed directions. Self-contained bands were the vogue in the '70s, so after a series of misfires, Beverly disbanded the Butlers. As a kid, Beverly was fascinated by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers so much that he started using the name Frankie; his birth name is Howard. He was also influenced by Sly Stone. His first professional singing stint was a yearlong road tour with the Silhouettes ("Get a Job"); he formed the Blenders afterward but didn't record until the Butlers. He learned to play rhythm guitar and keyboards, an...