EBN- Grammy Award-winning singer Roberta Flack passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, February 24. The cause of death was not disclosed, although she had been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, for two and a half years, specifically in November 2022. According to a press release issued at the time, the disease “made singing impossible and speaking difficult.”
Statement announcing the death of Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack’s death was announced in a press release, which read: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of the wonderful Roberta Flack this morning, February 24, 2025. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud teacher.”
Flack is best known for the songs “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (1972) and “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (1973), and was the first female solo artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year for two consecutive years.
About Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack was born on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, USA. She was raised in Arlington, Virginia, by her parents, who had musical inclinations, especially playing the piano, which was where Flack’s musical talent was born. She began studying piano at the age of nine, and began exploring and absorbing a wide range of jazz, R&B, and folk music.
Flack was also one of the biggest music stars of the 1970s, with three No. 1 singles in two years: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love.
The beginning of success
In 1971, actor and director Clint Eastwood chose “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” to accompany a love scene in his directorial debut, Play Misty for Me. The song was released as a single in early 1972, spending six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, before winning a Grammy for Best Record in 1973. At the same ceremony, Flack and Hathaway won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal by a Duo for “Where Is the Love” from their hit duet album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (1972).
Killing Me Softly with His Song and the pinnacle of success.
Flack reached the peak of her success with the song “Killing Me Softly with His Song”, written by songwriters Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. Before recording the song, she performed it in a concert in 1972, where it received an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience. Singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye advised her not to perform the song in public again until she recorded it. The song was released in January 1973, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and eventually earned Flack another Grammy Award for Record of the Year. She was the first female artist to win two consecutive Grammy Awards for Record of the Year.
She continued her career until she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 Grammy Awards.
The Recording Academy Mourns Roberta Flack
The Recording Academy shared a series of photos of the late singer on its Instagram account, along with a comment that read: “The world has lost a great music artist with the passing of the immortal Roberta Flack. She was an artist with a humanitarian vision, who created music that transcended genres, cementing her legacy as one of music’s most influential voices. Today, we honor her creative spirit, boundless talent, and lasting impact on music and beyond. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy,” he continued: “Music transcends language and time, and Roberta Flack’s legacy will too. Over the course of her long career, she received four Grammy Awards, 14 nominations, two Grammy Hall of Fame inductions, and the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
