Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack, responsible for all-time classics such as The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song, died on February 24, 2025, at the age of 88. Her representatives have confirmed that she passed away peacefully surrounded by her family.
Flack was a renowned artist who set records and influenced generations with her expressive voice. She was also an ardent educator who devoted a large part of her life to music and pedagogy.
A Trailblazing Music Career
Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack was a talented pianist who won a full scholarship to Howard University at the age of 15. While she was trained in classical music, she came to enjoy R&B and jazz.
Her breakthrough occurred during the early 1970s when her recording ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ was included in Clint Eastwood’s film Play Misty for Me.
The song was a huge success, and she received a Grammy for Song of the Year. She received the award again the next year for Killing Me Softly With His Song, becoming the first artist to win consecutive Grammy Awards for Record of the Year. Over the course of her career, she worked alongside legendary artists such as Donny Hathaway, with whom she cut several duets, such as Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You.
She also cooperated with jazz legends such as Miles Davis. In the 1980s and 1990s, she continued to release songs, including the hit duet Set the Night to Music with Maxi Priest. In 2012, she made a recording of Beatles cover songs called Let It Be Roberta. Flack’s skill at incorporating classical, jazz, and R&B styles made her music distinct. She wasn’t merely a singer; she was a singer who told stories using her voice to convey deep feelings. Her songs touched listeners of all generations, and her influence on the music world could not be questioned.
A Durable Legacy in Music
Flack’s impact went beyond her own recordings. In 1996, Killing Me Softly was rediscovered by a new generation of music fans when The Fugees released their Grammy-winning cover, which topped the charts worldwide. She even sang the song on stage with the group, securing its place further in music history.
In addition to her musical achievement, Flack was dedicated to philanthropy and music education. She established the Roberta Flack School of Music in New York, giving young musicians opportunities. She also donated to a number of charitable causes during her lifetime.
Flack was not just famous for her music but also for her activism. She used her voice to talk about social causes and lend support to equality and justice movements. She believed that music could be a catalyst for change and inspire others.
Despite having a stroke in 2019 and motor neurone disease diagnosis in 2022, Flack was still an inspiration. In 2020, she was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which acknowledged her remarkable contributions to music.
Her music, rich in emotion and narrative, still reaches the hearts of individuals across the globe. Roberta Flack’s legacy will endure, reminding the world of the ability of music to unite, heal, and inspire.
As the world looks back at her remarkable career, her music will be revered for decades to come. She was not only a singer—she was an artist whose voice and heart revolutionized the music industry forever.
