Love is definitely in need of love today, and one of its most staunch and steadfast purveyors, legendary and visionary artist Stevie Wonder, is going on the road once again to offer just that.
Wonder announced today he will be playing select dates in October across 10 cities in a call for “joy over anger, kindness over recrimination, peace over war” during this most contentious election season in the United States.
As a special thank you to those in communities who are already working tirelessly to fix our nation’s broken heart, Wonder will be offering a designated amount of complimentary tickets to them.
This mini-tour, titled “Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart,” is produced by Wonder Productions and promoted by AEG Presents in partnership with Free Lunch.
The tour kicks off Tuesday, October 8 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, with stops in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Greensboro, Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis before concluding Wednesday, October 30 at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI.
Being your groove chauffeur at GBN is the closest I’ll ever come to having a blog or column. In the years I’ve pecked write-ups for these Music Monday playlists, I have often discovered new tracks and artists in an attempt to be comprehensive in my collections.
I have more than once received wonderful additions and suggestions to my playlists. I’ve taken them all, too. I have also advocated for the broader appreciation of various artists here.
With the announcement of his passing I was struck by how little I knew about that talented artist. I had never seen or read an interview with Frankie Beverly. Never seen a tabloid headline about his drug use, trashing hotels, affairs, or his violent temper. I’d never seen him glad-handing on a late-night or daytime talk show.
Frankie Beverly, in my experience, spoke through his music only. For all I knew, Frankie Beverly could have been a benevolent celestial being who came to Earth to commune with a people in need of his message of joy, passion, and hope. He could have been an ebony immortal, like those of Tananarive Due’s books, who shared his insight of the human heart and soul gained through the centuries he had walked the earth.
That is how warm and enigmatic our dear brotha, Frankie Beverly, was to me. The native of Philadelphia and California transplant never gained the crossover success of Marvin Gaye, Al Green or Maurice White. Though as Essence magazine declared back in 2017: “There isn’t a cookout, not a wedding or family reunion in Black America where you won’t hear” him and Maze.
That has been true for nearly 50 years. It was Marvin Gaye that suggested to Beverly that he change the name of his band from Raw Soul to Maze. He helped get them signed too, which led to nine albums that all were certified gold.
Here is what I’ll offer as a quintessential collection of Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly. Please enjoy. Dig what New York Times writer, Ben Ratliff, had to say about the voice of Beverly:
“His voice was half-scorched, and some of the usual traces of Donny Hathaway and Sam Cooke weren’t coming through. But he managed by keeping it in the middle register and by adding small vocal gestures to the rhythm cycles — percussive uh-uhs and dibba-dibbas, gospel grunts.”
Frankie Beverly spent a lifetime singing about joy and desire. Though he dealt in reality, as well as the perils of hurting those around him. See you all next month.
And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.
Editor’s Note: Marlon’s piece on the late, great Frankie Beverly was lovingly crafted by him days ago and scheduled to post today. Last night’s untimely passing of musical legend Tito Jackson and the legacy he left behind will be addressed by GBN in the very near future.