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Roberta Flack, Grammy winner and legendary singer, has tragically passed.
The music icon is known for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song.”
She was profoundly influential, working with fellow music legends. Her last album came out last decade.
Flack died at home and amongst family. She was 88 years old.
The legendary Roberta Flack attends Black Girls Rock! 2017 backstage at NJPAC on August 5, 2017. (Photo Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
Roberta Flack has died
According to a statement by her representatives, Roberta Flack passed away on Monday, February 24, at the age of 88.
Born in Black Mountain, North Carolina in 1937, Flack’s keen interest in music manifested from an early age.
At 15, she enrolled in Howard University in Washington DC on a scholarship. Notably, this made her one of the university’s youngest students.
Music icon Roberta Flack arrives for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020. (Photo Credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
For years, Roberta Flack worked as a teacher, in both Maryland and in North Carolina. However, in the 1970s, she erupted into fame with “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
That song won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1973. The following year, she won Record of the Year for “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” She was the first artist to ever win this award consecutively.
Over the years, Flack had many more hits. She also worked with music legends like Donny Hathaway, Leonard Cohen, Burt Bacharach, and more. Her last album came out in 2012. “Let It Be Roberta” was a collection of Beatles covers. Notably, her music had already influenced some members of the historic boy band.
Roberta Flack attends the 40th Anniversary Gala for “A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste” Campaign at The New York Marriott Marquis on March 3, 2011. (Photo Credit: Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
What was Roberta Flack’s cause of death?
The statement from Roberta Flack’s representatives did not disclose her cause of death.
However, in 2018, Flack had to depart the Apollo Theater stage during a performance.
Later, her management shared that she had suffered a stroke the previous year. At the time, there was an insistence that Flack was “doing fine.”
Iconic singer Roberta Flack attends the 6th Annual Sing for Hope Pianos Kickoff Event At 28 Liberty Plaza on June 5, 2017. (Photo Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Sing For Hope)
Then, in November of 2022, manager Suzanne Koga revealed that Flack had received a diagnosis of ALS.
Koga detailed that Roberta Flack’s ailment “has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak.”
That spelled the end of her lengthy and indelible music career.
Singer Roberta Flack performs onstage during the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on January 31, 2010. (Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
What is ALS?
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare and terminal neurodegenerative disorder.
There is no known cure, with efforts focusing upon slowing the grim process of the disease. On average, people might survive a couple of years following their diagnosis.
We do not know if ALS was the cause of death in the case of Roberta Flack, but many naturally assume so. Regardless of the details, our thoughts are with her loved ones as they grieve this loss.
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