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Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack has passed away at 88, her representatives confirmed.
She died peacefully, surrounded by family.
Image Source: Reporter, S. (24, 2). Singer Roberta flack can no longer sing after ALS diagnosis. Guyana Chronicle. https://guyanachronicle.com/2022/11/18/singer-roberta-flack-can-no-longer-sing-after-als-diagnosis/
Born in North Carolina, Flack fell in love with music at a young age, influenced by gospel and inspired by artistes like Aretha Franklin.
She started teaching and performing at a young age, eventually making a name for herself in Washington, D.C. nightclubs. There, jazz musician Les McCann discovered her and helped her land a record deal with Atlantic Records in 1968.
She started teaching and performing at a young age, eventually making a name for herself in Washington, D.C. nightclubs. There, jazz musician Les McCann discovered her and helped her land a record deal with Atlantic Records in 1968.
Her big break came with The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face in 1969. The song gained worldwide fame after being featured in Clint Eastwood’s Play Misty for Me and later won a GRAMMY. In 1973, she made history as the first artiste to win back-to-back GRAMMYs for Record of the Year with Killing Me Softly With His Song, which saw a revival in the ‘90s when the Fugees released their iconic cover.
Over her career, Flack won five GRAMMY Awards, including a lifetime achievement award in 2020. Her influence on music remains strong, with stars like Questlove, Stephanie Mills, and Jennifer Hudson paying tribute to her incredible legacy.