25/02/2025
RIP Roberta Flack
Roberta Cleopatra Flack (1937β2025) was an American singer and pianist known for her emotive, genre-blending ballads that spanned R&B, jazz, folk, and pop. She was the first artist to win consecutive Grammy Awards for Record of the Year with hits like "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song." Flack frequently collaborated with Donny Hathaway, producing classics like "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You."
Born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, she excelled in classical piano and earned a scholarship to Howard University at 15. She later taught music while performing in Washington, D.C. nightclubs, leading to a record deal with Atlantic Records. Her breakthrough came when Clint Eastwood featured her song in Play Misty for Me (1971), propelling her to stardom.
Flackβs influence extended beyond music, supporting causes such as animal welfare, LGBTQ+ rights, and music education. Diagnosed with ALS in 2022, she retired from performing. She passed away in 2025 at 88. Honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, her legacy as a pioneering voice in soul and R&B endures.
Roberta Flack performs her 1973 #1 hit *Killing Me Softly With HIs Song* from her album _Killing Me Softly_ "Killing Me Softly With His Song" earned Roberta ...