Grammy winner Roberta Flack dies at 88

Roberta Flack, one of the most recognizable voices of the 1970s and the Grammy-winning singer of the iconic song "Killing Me Softly With His Song," passed away on Monday at the age of 88.

Without providing a cause, Flack's publicist declared her dead.

The well-known pop and R&B singer was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) in 2022, which caused her to lose her capacity to sing.

According to the publicist's statement, "She passed away peacefully in the company of her family."

The classically trained musician with a gentle yet assured voice created several early rhythm and blues songs that she often referred to as having a "scientific soul," ageless compositions that combined perfect taste with rigorous practice.

The "quiet storm" radio style of sultry slow jams that popularized R&B and shaped its subsequent aesthetics was largely attributed to her extraordinary talent.

According to Flack's 1970 New York Times article, "I've been told I sound like Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Odetta, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, and even Mahalia Jackson."

"I would be concerned if everyone thought I sounded like the same person. I know I have my own style, though, when they say I sound like them all.

Roots drummer Questlove wrote, "Thank You Robert Flack," while Jennifer Hudson praised Flack as "one of the great soul singers of all time." Melody, rest in peace.
 

The artist was born Roberta Cleopatra Flack on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and grew up in Arlington, Virginia, which is close to Washington, DC.

Her big, musical family enjoyed gospel music, and she began playing the piano at a young age. Her skill won her a scholarship to Howard University in Washington when she was barely 15 years old.

Her father "found an old, smelly piano in a junkyard and restored it for me and painted it green," she told Forbes in 2021.

"I found my expression and inspiration as a young person on this piano, which was my first piano."

Les McCann, a jazz pianist, eventually found her while she was frequently performing in Washington clubs.
At the comparatively late age of 32, Flack began a recording career when she signed with Atlantic Records.

However, once Clint Eastwood used her love song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" on the soundtrack of his 1971 film "Play Misty for Me," her fame skyrocketed.

She won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1972 for the song, and she also won the award for "Killing Me Softly With His Song" at the next event, making her the first artist to win the award twice in a row.

Flack has talked about hearing the 1971 folk singer Lori Lieberman's song "Killing Me Softly" while flying and immediately altering it.

The iconic music tastemaker Quincy Jones, who was blown away by Flack's performance, advised her not to sing the song in public again until she had recorded it and made it her own. Flack delivered her version during an event when she opened for Jones.

It would turn out to be her career's pivotal smash.

The Fugees' 1996 release of a remixed version of "Killing Me Softly," featuring Lauryn Hill on lead vocals, gave Flack a comeback as it shot to the top of the charts globally and won another Grammy.

She also established a creative collaboration with her Howard friend Donny Hathaway, releasing a duet album that featured the songs "Where Is The Love" and a cover of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend."

Among Flack's numerous honors was a 2020 Recording Academy lifetime achievement award.

She was involved in social movements in the middle of the 20th century and was friends with activist Angela Davis and Reverend Jesse Jackson. She performed at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player in Major League Baseball and a baseball legend.

"I performed a lot of folk music and songs that were deemed protest songs, but I protested as a singer with a lot of love," she remarked.

AFP