Roberta Flack, the iconic pianist and singer whose silky, expressive voice defined the sound of the 1970s and beyond, has died at age 88. A classically trained artist blessed with an unwavering talent for telling stories through music, Flack’s impact reached well beyond the parameters of R&B and pop. From her stunning performance of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face to the iconic Killing Me Softly with His Song, Flack’s talent transcended generations, leaving an unerasable imprint on music history. From Humble Beginnings to Stardom
Raised in Arlington, Virginia, and born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Flack started her musical career at a young age. She was a child piano prodigy who earned a full scholarship to Howard University at 15 years old, one of the youngest students ever enrolled. Her classical training established the groundwork for a music career that would incorporate jazz, gospel, folk, and soul into an intimate, distinctive style.
Flack started out as a music teacher, but her gift couldn’t be contained within the classroom. Singing in Washington, D.C.’s jazz clubs, she was discovered in the late 1960s by jazz artist Les McCann, who was drawn to the unusual quality of her voice to combine vulnerability and strength. He brought her to Atlantic Records, and a career that would reshape soul music was born.
The Breakthrough: A Voice That Enchanted the World
Flack’s breakout occurred quite fortuitously when Clint Eastwood selected her hauntingly lovely ballad The First Time Ever, I Saw Your Face for a climactic moment in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The song, initially a slow burn folk ballad, went on to become a chart-topper, taking home the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1973.
This was followed by Killing Me Softly with His Song, a song which captured the intense emotional power of music itself. Based on singer Lori Lieberman’s response to a Don McLean concert, Flack’s rendition turned it into an anthem of sadness and adoration. Winning several Grammys, including Record of the Year for two years in a row, she was the first artist to accomplish this.
A Legacy of Social Change and Collaboration
Flack’s collaborations were as legendary as her solo recordings. Her duets with Donny Hathaway, such as Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You, featured an unmatchable chemistry, combining Hathaway’s deep baritone with her otherworldly vocals. Sadly, Hathaway’s death in 1979 ended their collaboration prematurely, but their songs are forever timeless.
Aside from music, Flack was a civil rights and social justice activist. She was closely affiliated with Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis, among others, using her voice to promote equality and justice. She also gave back to music education, establishing the Roberta Flack School of Music to foster young talent.
A Lasting Influence on Modern Music
Even as commercial success declined in subsequent years, Flack was still a highly respected figure within the industry. The Fugees’ 1996 hip-hop-flavored cover of Killing Me Softly brought her music to a new generation and resulted in a Grammy-winning reissue of the song. She also continued to sing on stage and offer lessons to up-and-coming musicians late in life, receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Flack’s music was beyond genres and generations, reflecting the richness of human emotion through each note. Her legacy lies not in the records she shattered but in the hearts she warmed. As Beyoncé once honored in Break My Soul (Queens Remix), Roberta Flack was not merely a musician but a force, a narrator, and a trailblazer.
Though she may have left the stage, her voice will continue to echo through time, reminding us of the power of music to heal, inspire, and endure.
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