Iconic Singer Roberta Flack Dead At 88
via Johnny Carson Youtube
The legendary pianist and singer Roberta Flack, who was famed for her timeless hits, died at the age of 88. Her emotive, silky voice encapsulated a period and left a lasting musical impact. Flack “died peacefully surrounded by her family,” a news release stated.
An Emerging Musical Prodigy
Flack was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, on February 10, 1937, and her musical career began at a young age. Raised in Arlington, Virginia, she received a Howard University music scholarship at 15 thanks to her talent. She met Donny Hathaway while she was at Howard, and the two would go on to work together on some of her most iconic tunes.
A jazz musician, Les McCann founded Flack and brought her to Atlantic Records in 1969, which was her big break. Her debut album, First Take, was released in the same year. It went on to become a No. 1 success in 1970 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
A Series of Legendary Hits
When Clint Eastwood included Flack’s song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me, her celebrity skyrocketed. She won the Grammys for Record and Song of the Year after the song became a No. 1 smash and remained there for six weeks.
With almost 20 singles in the Top 100 through 1991, including the Top 10 success “Set the Night to Music” with Maxi Priest, Flack kept making waves on the charts. One of her last big singles, “Oasis” (1988), peaked at No. 1 on the R&B charts, showing her enormous influence on R&B and soul music.
An Influence That Spanned Decades
Generations were impacted by Roberta Flack. In 1996, the Fugees, led by Lauryn Hill, brought her music to a new audience with their hit song “Killing Me Softly,” which was a modern interpretation of her beloved ballad.
Flack continued to be active despite health issues, such as a stroke in 2016. Her final recorded song, “Down by the River,” was included on the 2024 album On Imagination. She also released a new single, “Running,” in 2018 and was awarded an honorary degree from Berklee College of Music in 2023.
Through her songs, Roberta Flack’s voice, talent, and spirit will endure. She was a storyteller as well as a singer, and her songs had an international impact.
