Renowned Grammy-winning artist Roberta Flack, best known for the timeless classic “Killing Me Softly With His Song”, has passed away at the age of 88. Her publicist confirmed her death on Monday, February 24, 2025, without specifying the cause.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Flack, whose influential career spanned decades, had been battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) since her diagnosis in 2022, which had taken away her ability to sing. “She died peacefully surrounded by her family,” the statement read.
Born Roberta Cleopatra Flack on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, she grew up in Arlington, Virginia, in a musically inclined family. A prodigious talent, she secured a music scholarship to Howard University at just 15. Her journey from playing in Washington clubs to global stardom took off after jazz musician Les McCann discovered her, leading to a contract with Atlantic Records at the age of 32.
Her breakthrough came when Clint Eastwood featured “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” in the 1971 film Play Misty for Me, earning her a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1972. She made history by winning the same award the following year with “Killing Me Softly With His Song”, becoming the first artist to achieve consecutive wins. The song saw renewed fame in 1996 when the Fugees, led by Lauryn Hill, released a chart-topping rendition.
Flack’s influence extended beyond music—she was deeply involved in civil rights movements, maintaining close ties with figures like Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis. She performed at Jackie Robinson’s funeral and used her platform to advocate for change, blending protest with love through her music.
Her legacy in R&B and soul remains unmatched, earning her a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2020. Flack’s signature “scientific soul” and contributions to the “quiet storm” genre shaped generations of artists, cementing her place in musical history.
