Black Mountain, NC, Feb 24, 2025 — Roberta Flack, a celebrated R&B singer, died on February 24, 2025, at the age of 88. She died peacefully with her family. Fans will recall her timeless hit, Killing Me Softly With His Song.
Flack lived a life steeped in music. She earned five Grammy Awards and 13 Grammy nominations. She won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. She was the first artist to win Record of the Year in two consecutive years, 1973 and 1974.
Flack sang The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. The song played a key part in Clint Eastwood’s film Play Misty For Me. It topped the pop charts and kept her debut album First Take at No. 1 for five weeks. Her gentle tone mixed with soulful lyrics won many hearts.
She also gave us Killing Me Softly With His Song. That hit won Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1974. The tune drew fans near and far. The Fugees revived the song in 1996 and brought it to a new crowd. Her work set a high mark for R&B music.
Flack scored another major hit with Where Is the Love, which topped both pop and R&B charts in 1974. She teamed up for a sweet duet on The Closer I Get to You with Donny Hathaway. Her hit, Feel Like Makin’ Love, displayed her warm voice and true talent. In 1983, she paired with Peabo Bryson on Tonight, I Celebrate My Love, which reached No. 5 on the R&B charts. In the 1990s, she joined Maxi Priest for Set the Night to Music, a smooth and catchy track.
Flack faced hard times when she announced in 2022 that she had ALS. The throat pain made it hard for her to sing. Her brave struggle touched her fans. She had not sung in recent years. Yet, her work and spirit lived on in every note she had given.
Roberta Cleopatra Flack: Early Life
Born Roberta Cleopatra Flack in Black Mountain, NC, she learned the piano at age nine. Flack earned a full scholarship to Howard University at 15. After her father died, she left the school and taught music in North Carolina and Washington, D.C. Her early start set her on a path that would shape pop and R&B music.
Les McCann helped her sign with Atlantic Records in 1968. His support pushed her into the spotlight. Her album Blue Lights in the Basement reached No. 8 in 1978. In 2012, she released Let It Be Roberta, a tribute to The Beatles that touched many hearts.
Flack also recorded a cover of You’ve Got a Friend, which hit No. 8 on the R&B charts. She left a mark with each song she sang. Her work drew praise from many in music. Artists like Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys have mentioned her as a great influence.
Flack lived in Manhattan at the Dakota building. She formed close bonds with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. They even wrote liner notes for her album, Let It Be Roberta. Her warm soul and kind heart shone through the music and the friendships she built.
She also gave back by starting the Roberta Flack School of Music. The school taught children from 6 to 14. Flack believed in the power of music to change lives. She took part in social causes with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Angela Davis, and Jackie Robinson. She sang at Jackie Robinson’s funeral and joined the Free to Be … You and Me project.
The loss of her son, Bernard Wright, in 2022 wound her heart deeply. Flack turned her pain into art and hope. Her long career left a rich legacy in R&B. Her songs and life will long be remembered by fans around the world.
Roberta Flack leaves behind a deep imprint in music. Her voice and songs live on in the hearts of millions. The music world honors her long life and passion. Fans and peers now look back on her work with great respect and fondness.
