Celebrated pop and R&B songstress Roberta Flack, acclaimed for ‘70s hits “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” passed away at the age of 88 on Monday due to cardiac arrest, according to US media.
“We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025,” the music icon’s representative said in a statement.
“She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator,” they added.
Life before the limelight
Roberta Cleopatra Flack was born on February 10, 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Her mother, a church choir organist, introduced her to classical and religious music at a young age, so that she began playing the piano at only 9 years old.
At age 15, Flack became one of the youngest students accorded to a full music scholarship at Howard University. Originally majoring in piano, she later shifted to voice.
After the abrupt death of her father, Flack returned to North Carolina and taught music and English. She spent her evenings and weekends performing at nightclubs, blending genres: classical, blues, folk, and pop. She stepped away from her teaching career after securing a residency at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant in Washington, DC.
Flack was introduced to Atlantic Records by soul jazz pianist and vocalist Les McCann. She recorded her debut album “First Take” in 1969, finishing in purportedly 10 hours.
“Her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known. I laughed, cried, and screamed for more,” Les McCann said of the tracks.
Rise to stardom
Flack gained mainstream success when her cover of folk ballad “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Ewan MacColl was catapulted to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1972, where it remained for six weeks, after it was featured on Clint Eastwood’s thriller film “Play Misty for Me.” The song eventually earned Flack a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1973.
“Killing Me Softly With His Song” won her a second Grammy Record of the Year Award in 1974, making her the first artist in history to bag the coveted accolade two years in a row. It took nearly three decades for another artist to replicate the feat: U2 took home the award in 2001 and 2002; another 19 years later, Billie Eilish’s second straight win came in 2021.
Flack also came in at No. 1 on the US charts with “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” in 1974. Her collaborations with soul icon Donny Hathaway, namely “Where Is the Love” and “The Closer I Get to You,” landed them two spots on the US Top 5. “Back Together Again” climbed to No. 3 in the United Kingdom after Hathaway’s death. With her new duet companion Peabo Bryson, she rose to No. 2 on UK charts for “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love.”
Flack also collaborated with Michael Jackson and joined Miles Davis on tour.
