Roberta Flack, the legendary R&B artist known for timeless hits like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song, has passed away at the age of 88.
“We are deeply saddened to share that the incredible Roberta Flack left us this morning, February 24, 2025,” her representatives announced. “She passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. Roberta shattered barriers, set records, and proudly advocated education.”
In 2022, the BBC reported Flack revealed she had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which had taken away her ability to sing.
Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack began her journey as a classical pianist. At just 15, she earned a full scholarship to Howard University. Although her classical training led to a teaching career, she spent nights playing piano for opera singers, often performing pop songs during breaks.
Roberta Flacks’ Big Break
Reflecting on her early days, Flack once said, “While I was studying classical music, I was also singing doo-wop and rhythm and blues with my friends. My life has always been filled with all types of music—Bach, Chopin, Schumann, alongside the soulful sounds of R&B.”
Her big break came when jazz musician Les McCann discovered her performing at a club. He later recalled how her voice deeply moved him, saying it “tapped into every emotion I’d ever felt.” Despite her talent, Flack didn’t achieve her first major success until her 30s.
Her rendition of Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face gained widespread attention after being featured in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The song went on to win the Grammy for Song of the Year.
She earned another Grammy with Killing Me Softly With His Song the following year and topped the charts again in 1974 with Feel Like Makin’ Love. After that, she stepped back from performing to focus on recording and giving back through charitable work.
Throughout the 1980s, Flack toured extensively and collaborated with iconic artists like Donny Hathaway and Miles Davis. 1991, she returned to the charts with Set the Night to Music, a duet with Maxi Priest. In 2012, she paid tribute to The Beatles with an album of covers titled Let It Be Roberta.
The Roberta Flack School of Music
Flack once described herself by saying, “I’m a soulful singer. I pour all my emotions into my music. A true soul singer makes any song their own and moves people beyond technique and flaws.”
Her personal life included a marriage to jazz musician Stephen Novosel. She devoted much of her time to the Roberta Flack School of Music in New York, nurturing the next generation of artists. Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson praised her as “socially conscious and fearless.”
In 2020, Flack was honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which she called “an overwhelming and meaningful recognition.” She added, “Throughout my career, I’ve tried to tell stories through my music. This award confirms my peers understood and appreciated what I wanted to share.”
Her music found a new audience when The Fugees reimagined Killing Me Softly in 1996. Their Grammy-winning cover topped charts worldwide and introduced Flack’s work to a younger generation. They even performed the iconic song alongside her during a live show.
Roberta Flack’s legacy as a groundbreaking artist and passionate educator will continue to inspire future generations.
