Grammy Legend Roberta Flack Passes Away at 88 — A Voice That Shaped Generations

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As a devoted fan, I’m deeply saddened to share that Roberta Flack, an extraordinary vocalist and pianist who etched her name in Grammy history with the enchanting No. 1 hits “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” passed away on Monday. She was 88 years old.

I’m utterly devastated to share that the legendary Roberta Flack, whom I admired deeply, has left us this morning, as confirmed by her representative. Her passing was peaceful, with her beloved family by her side. Roberta not only shattered barriers and set records in the music industry but also took pride in being an educator.

Back in November 2022, it came to light that she had been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), which prevented her from singing anymore. Earlier, in 2016, she experienced a stroke and decided to retire from performances two years later.

A native of North Carolina and a gifted classical pianist, this artist made history by being the first to receive the Grammy for Record of the Year two years in a row. This was achieved with the poignant “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” in 1973 and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” in ’74. (Billie Eilish managed to achieve this feat more recently, in 2020-21.)

Following stints as both a teacher and a nightclub singer in Washington D.C., Flack was subsequently signed by Atlantic Records. In 1969, she launched her career with her first album, titled “First Take“, and followed it up with “Chapter Two” the next year. However, these albums didn’t generate significant buzz.

In an unusual turn of events, when Clint Eastwood utilized “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” during a poignant nature walk and love scene with Donna Mills in the turbulent film “Play Misty for Me” (1971), it unexpectedly soared to popularity. Released as a single in February 1972, the song climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for six consecutive weeks, as revealed in the 2022 documentary “Roberta“. It’s interesting to note that Eastwood reportedly paid $1,000 for the rights to the song, according to producer Joel Dorn.

In 1973, she was awarded a second Grammy for the duet “Where Is the Love,” which she sang alongside her college friend and regular collaborator, the late Donny Hathaway. This track peaked at number 5 on the charts.

1973 saw “Killing Me Softly,” a song that garnered Flack a Grammy for best pop vocal performance, claim the top spot on the charts for five consecutive weeks. Later in ’74, she reclaimed the number one position with “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” a track that earned her three of her 14 career Grammy nominations.

She received a long-overdue Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

In a 2020 email to Ann Powers of NPR, I often express that ‘love is like a melody’ – a sentiment implying that music transcends barriers such as age, ethnicity, country, and faith, resonating deeply within our hearts. This artist, with courage and insight reminiscent of her mentors Nina Simone and Frank Sinatra, was described by Powers as such.

Born on the chilly day of February 10, 1937, in the serene town of Black Mountain, North Carolina, I was later nurtured in the vibrant city of Arlington, Virginia. My father, Laron, devoted his days as a skillful draftsman for the Veterans Administration, while my mother, Irene, filled our lives with melodious tunes as a church organist.

At the age of thirteen, Flack began studying classical piano, subsequently performing the entire score of Handel’s “Messiah” for her church choir. She continued her education at Stevens Elementary School in Washington, followed by Hoffman-Boston High School in Arlington. At fifteen years old, she was awarded a full musical scholarship to Howard University.

Growing up, I crafted my persona, Rubina Flake – a celebrated concert artist who left audiences spellbound at Carnegie Hall. As Powers put it, this fictional character served as my refuge, helping me weather the hardships and humiliations experienced by talented Black children in the Southern states.

At the age of 19, she departed from her studies at Howard University’s graduate school following her father’s passing. Instead, she began working as an English teacher in Farmville, North Carolina, and later Washington D.C. In addition to this, she provided music lessons and performed at nightclubs, one of which was the popular venue Mr. Henry’s on Capitol Hill. It was here that she was spotted by renowned jazz artist Les McCann in 1968, who then signed her to Atlantic Records.

In the liner notes for First Take, McCann expressed that her voice stirred, resonated, captivated, and energized every emotion I’ve ever felt. I chuckled, wept, and shouted for more… she was the only one who possessed such a powerful voice.

At the age of 32, she made her way to New York, already knowing approximately 600 songs. Her plan was to record her debut album in only 10 hours, and this album included “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” a song written by British singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl in 1957, which was first recorded by his wife Peggy Seeger. Additionally, she chose to cover Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” for this album.

Back in 2012, Flack shared an account of his conversation with Eastwood, who chanced upon “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” on the radio during his daily commute.

At home in Virginia, my mom resided with me. One day, the telephone rang, and she said, ‘Roberta, this is Clint Eastwood.’ In that moment, I assumed someone was pulling a prank,” she reminisced.

I was genuinely taken aback by his revelation. I didn’t quite lose consciousness, but I certainly felt close to it, given the magnitude of the situation. The dialogue unfolded something like this (in a manner reminiscent of Eastwood): ‘I’m considering incorporating your song in the film I’m working on. It’s titled ‘Play Misty for Me‘. It revolves around a disc jockey, and it features plenty of music. Specifically, I plan to use it during the scene where there’s an overwhelming display of love.’

I agreed, we talked about the finances, and indeed, I was taken aback. I swallowed hard before agreeing again. He asked if that was all, to which I responded that I wanted to repeat the process because it felt too slow. However, he disagreed, saying it wasn’t.

In a thrilling twist, I had the privilege of recording “This Side of Forever,” a track that graced the end credits of Clint Eastwood’s iconic 1983 movie, “Sudden Impact” – a film that left an indelible mark on cinema history.

Following the releases of her albums “Quiet Fire” in 1971 and “Robert Flack and Donny Hathaway” in 1972, she went on to record “Killing Me Softly” in 1973. The title song was initially penned by Lori Lieberman who wrote it after attending a Don McLean concert. Interestingly, Flack first heard the tune when it was presented as part of the in-flight entertainment options during a cross-country flight.

She continued her success by releasing “Feel Like Makin’ Love” in 1975, a song whose title track was nominated for Record of the Year and marked her as the first female vocalist since 1940 to top the chart for three consecutive years. In 1977, she put out “Blue Lights in the Basement,” which featured the No. 2 hit “The Closer I Get to You,” another fantastic duet with Hathaway.

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In 1975, she released “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” a song whose title track was nominated for Record of the Year and made her the first female vocalist since 1940 to hold the number one spot on the chart for three consecutive years. In 1977, she dropped “Blue Lights in the Basement,” which included the No. 2 hit “The Closer I Get to You,” another amazing duet with Hathaway.

Following Hathaway’s tragic suicide in 1979, a year that saw us together in the studio, I embarked on tours alongside Peabo Bryson. Together, we scored a Top 20 hit in 1983 with “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love.” Another collaboration, “Set the Night to Music,” with Maxi Priest, peaked at No. 6 in 1991. I also shared many stages and recorded numerous songs with the legendary Luther Vandross.

Her most recent album, released in 2012, was titled “Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles“. Notably, many of her albums were produced under the name Rubina Flake.

In television and cinema, Flack was responsible for singing “Together Through the Years,” the theme song for the NBC series Valerie/The Hogan Family which aired from 1986 to 1991. He also lent his voice to the choir in the movie The Wiz (1978). Additionally, he provided songs for the Richard Pryor film Bustin’ Loose (1981).

From 1965 to their 1972 divorce, she was the wife of bassist Steve Novosel. In the ’80s, she resided in The Dakota, New York, where her immediate neighbors were John Lennon and Yoko Ono; Sean Lennon, their son, affectionately referred to her as “Aunt Roberta.

In November 2022, the documentary titled Roberta, which runs for feature length, made its premiere at the DOCNYC film festival. Meanwhile, a book co-authored by her, The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music, hit the shelves in January 2023.

Flack shared that he’s always yearned to share his personal tale with kids, revolving around the very first green piano my father retrieved for me from a scrapyard. His intention is to ignite their imaginations, hoping they too will strive for their aspirations,” Flack said. “He wants them to grasp that dreams can materialize through perseverance, support from loved ones, and above all, self-confidence.

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2025-02-24 18:55