Soul legend Frankie Beverly dies aged 77

Frankie Beverly

One of the icons of 80s soul - Frankie Beverly - has died at the age of 77.

With his band Maze, he enjoyed a string of hits - some of which became all-time soul classics such as "Joy And Pain" and "Back In Stride".

In a statement, Frankie's family said: "He lived his life with a 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".

Maze started life as Raw Soul in 1970 and went on tour with Marvin Gaye before changing their name. They signed a deal with Capitol Records in 1976 and released several top-selling albums including "Golden Time of Day" and "Joy and Pain".

Come the 80s, Maze had gained a loyal following in the UK - and played consecutive sold-out shows at the Hammersmith Odeon. "Back In Stride" also became their biggest British hit - reaching the Top 40.

Frankie had recently finished his farewell tour - which ended with a gig in his hometown of Philadelphia over the summer.

Tributes have poured in from across the soul world - including from The Isley Brothers: