Roberta Flack, Grammy-award winning singer, has died aged 88.
Flack who was one of the top recording artists of the 1970s, died on Monday surrounded by her family, according to a statement released by her publicist Elaine Schnock. In 2022, Flack had revealed that she was battling motor neurone disease (MND), and was no longer performing.
Roberta Flack was renowned for hits including, Killing Me Softly, and The First Time I Saw Your Face, the latter of which chosen by actor Clint Eastwood as the soundtrack for the explicit love scenes of his movie, Play Misty For Me, which was released in 1971.
In 1972, this track reached number one in the US charts, and also earned a Grammy award for Flack. A year later, the singer became the first female artist to win a Grammy for Record of the Year with Killing Me Softly.
Along with Killing Me Softly and The First Time I Saw Your Place, Roberta Flack is also known for hits like Feel Like Makin' Love To You in the 1970s.
Not just a celebrated singer, Roberta Flack also played a key role in the social and civil rights movements in the 1960s, striking up friendships with Reverend Jess Jackson, and Angela Davis. After Davis was charged with murder and kidnapping, Flack visited her in prison. Davis was ultimately acquitted of these charges.
Roberta Flack also performed at the funeral of the late Jackie Robinson, major league baseball's first black player.
The singer also befriended John Lennon and Yoko Ono, having lived on the same floor of the Dakota apartment building as the former Beatle, before going on to release album of Fab Four covers. She is also remembered for two duets with close friend and former Howard University classmate Donny Hathaway, The Closer I Get To You, and Where Is The Love.
However, Donny Hathaway sadly passed away in 1979, after falling to his death from a hotel room in Manhattan, after he suffered a breakdown while recording an album with Flack.
Roberta Flack was also married to jazz musician Stephen Novosel, from 1966 to 1972.
In the 1980s, Flack duetted with Peabo Bryson for, Tonight, I Celebrate My Love, and with Maxi Priest with Set The Night To Music in the 1990s.
The mid 90s saw her track Killing Me Softly reach a new generation of fans, following the Fugees' cover of the track.
In 2020, Flack was also awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys.
A myriad of artists have paid to tribute to Flack, including Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters, who wrote: “Condolences to family, friends and fans of Roberta Flack. RIP".
“I’m so heartbroken to hear of the passing of Roberta Flack. There will never be another voice like hers – so full of soul, beauty, and emotion. ‘Killing Me Softly’ and so many of her songs will live on forever", added singer Darlene Love. “Rest in power, Roberta. Your music will always be with us".
