Roberta Flack, the legendary R&B singer renowned for timeless hits such as ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ and ’The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ has died at the age of 88.
“We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025,” her representatives announced in a statement.
“She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.”
Flack revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which had left her unable to sing.
Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack began her musical journey as a classical pianist and music teacher before being discovered performing in a jazz club by musician Les McCann. Reflecting on her artistry, McCann once wrote, “Her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known.”
Her breakthrough came in the early 1970s when her rendition of Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was featured in Clint Eastwood’s film Play Misty For Me.
The song’s success propelled Flack to stardom, earning her the Grammy for Song of the Year. She won the same award the following year for Killing Me Softly With His Song, cementing her place in music history.
ALSO READ:US: Police arrest suspect in 1986 murder of 18-year-old girl
Flack continued to dominate the charts with Feel Like Makin’ Love in 1974 before shifting her focus to recording and philanthropy. Throughout her career, she collaborated with music greats such as Donny Hathaway and Miles Davis, and in 2012, she released an album of Beatles covers.
In 2020, a year after suffering a stroke, Flack was honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Reflecting on the recognition, she said, “It’s a tremendous and overwhelming honour. I’ve tried my entire career to tell stories through my music. This award is a validation to me that my peers heard my thoughts and took in what I have tried to give.”
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna has said that the North-West zone is faring better under…
The accident took place around 3 a.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2025, and was attributed…
"This Monday, I am inviting you to join me in a voluntary day of fasting…
The National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) has commended the Registrar of the Joint…
An association under the umbrella of the Nigeria Youths Awareness Group Makinde 2027 (NYAG Makinde…
Kano Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has directed the immediate suspension of Ibrahim Rabi’u, a Senior…
This website uses cookies.