Roberta Flack, the legendary singer and pianist whose intimate, soulful style made her one of the most influential artists of her time, passed away Monday at the age of 88, surrounded by family. Her publicist confirmed her passing in a statement. In 2022, Flack announced she had been diagnosed with ALS, which eventually left her unable to sing. Fortunately, her musical legacy had already been set in stone.
Flack’s breakthrough came in the early 1970s when Clint Eastwood featured her haunting ballad The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face in Play Misty for Me. The song became a cultural phenomenon, topping the charts and winning the Grammy for Record of the Year. The following year, she made history as the first artist to win back-to-back Grammys in the category with Killing Me Softly With His Song, a timeless classic that continues to resonate across generations.
A classically trained pianist, Flack earned a full scholarship to Howard University at just 15. She was discovered in the late 1960s by jazz great Les McCann, who was captivated by her ability to craft emotionally rich, musically intricate performances. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Flack favored a measured, poetic approach, shaping each lyric with precision and depth.
Beyond her musical achievements, Flack was deeply involved in social justice. She aligned herself with civil rights leaders such as Angela Davis and Jesse Jackson, performed at Jackie Robinson’s funeral, and contributed to Free to Be… You and Me, a groundbreaking feminist children’s project.
Her collaborations, especially with Donny Hathaway, produced beloved duets like Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You. Their creative partnership ended tragically in 1979 when Hathaway passed away. Flack continued to evolve artistically, scoring hits in the 1980s with Tonight, I Celebrate My Love alongside Peabo Bryson and in the 1990s when the Fugees’ Grammy-winning cover of Killing Me Softly reintroduced her music to a new audience.
Over her career, Flack won five Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. She also dedicated herself to music education, founding the Roberta Flack School of Music to inspire and nurture young talent.
Born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack began her career as a music teacher in Washington, D.C., before rising to become one of the most influential artists of her time. Her legacy—as a pioneering musician, a social activist, and a mentor—will continue to inspire for years to come.
