Legendary singer Roberta Flack passes away at 88

Roberta Flack, the Legendary Grammy-Winning Artist Behind “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” Has Passed Away at 88. The News of Her Death Was Confirmed by Her Publicist, Though the Cause Was Not Disclosed.

Flack, who had been battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) since 2022, had tragically lost her ability to sing in recent years. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones, according to the statement.

Roberta Flack, born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, on February 10, 1937, grew up surrounded by music.

Her chart-topping hits like “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” remain iconic tracks in music history.

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Roberta Flack’s rise to fame came after Clint Eastwood featured her romantic ballad “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” in his 1971 movie Play Misty for Me.

The song earned her the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1972, an honor she repeated the following year for “Killing Me Softly.” Roberta Flack became the first artist to win this prestigious Grammy award two years in a row.

Flack’s influence extended far beyond music. A prominent figure in the civil rights movement, she used her platform to make a difference and was friends with Reverend Jesse Jackson and activist Angela Davis.

She also performed at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, the first Black Major League Baseball player, marking her as an important figure not just in music, but also in the social movements of her time.

Her legacy was cemented in 2020 when she received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Even in her later years, Roberta Flack continued to inspire through her music, with her classic “Killing Me Softly” gaining a second life when remixed by The Fugees in 1996, bringing her work to a new generation.

Her impact on music, culture, and activism will continue to resonate for years to come.