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, and began Raw Soul with fellow Philadelphians Roame Lowry, McKinley Williams, and Sam Porter. Gigs were plentiful around Philly, but Beverly felt that California held the key; he relocated to the San Francisco/Oakland area in 1971. The addition of three members made Raw Soul a full-fledged funk band.
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