Roberta Flack, soul and R&B icon behind Killing Me Softly, dies aged 88
Roberta Flack, the acclaimed singer who created memorable hits including "Killing Me Softly With His Song," passed away at 88 years old. Her spokesperson announced: "The magnificent Roberta Flack left us this morning, February 24, 2025. She passed surrounded by her loved ones in peace. She was a groundbreaking artist and dedicated teacher."
Known for her elegant demeanor and musical flexibility, Flack earned recognition as one of the most influential performers in soul and R&B history. She entered the world in 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina, born to music-loving parents. Her early exposure to sacred and classical music came through her mother Irene, who played organ for church services.
Flack started piano lessons at age nine. She received a full music scholarship to Howard University at 15, becoming one of its youngest students ever. After graduating at 19, she initially wanted to pursue opera but instead became a teacher in North Carolina. She balanced teaching with evening and weekend performances at clubs, mixing classical, blues, folk, Motown, and pop styles.
Her musical skills secured her regular performances across Washington DC. In 1968, her shows at Mr Henry's Restaurant allowed her to focus solely on music. Les McCann, a soul jazz musician, connected her with Atlantic Records. She recorded her first album, "First Take," in just 10 hours during early 1969. The album captured her diverse musical selections from her time performing at Henry's.
McCann described her impact: "Her singing reached every emotion I knew. I experienced joy, tears, and wanted more." Her breakthrough came in 1971 when Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty for Me" featured her version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." The song topped US charts for six weeks in 1972 and won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1973.
She achieved another Grammy for "Killing Me Softly With His Song" in 1974, making history as the first artist with back-to-back wins in this category, later matched by U2 and Billie Eilish. Her song "Feel Like Makin' Love" also reached number one that year. Her partnership with Donny Hathaway produced two top-five hits: "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You."
In 1980, Flack and Hathaway achieved success in the UK with "Back Together Again," reaching number three on the charts a year after Hathaway's passing. She later partnered with Peabo Bryson, scoring her biggest UK achievement with "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," which peaked at number two in 1983.
Her diverse musical connections showed her unique artistic approach. She performed duets with Michael Jackson, joined Miles Davis on tour, and interpreted songs by Leonard Cohen and Laura Nyro. Her success helped establish quiet storm, a sophisticated R&B style that later influenced artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, and the Fugees, who created their own popular version of "Killing Me Softly."
In 2012, she released "Let It Be Roberta," an album of Beatles song interpretations. She defined her artistic identity, saying: "I consider myself a soulful singer who uses all my emotional capacity when performing. A truly soulful person can take any song, move past technical aspects, and capture listeners' attention."
Health issues emerged in 2018 when she became ill during a performance. Her manager later disclosed that she had experienced a stroke years before. Her personal life included a marriage to jazz musician Steve Novosel from 1966 to 1972.
