RIP! Roberta Flack dies aged 88

Roberta Flack has died at the age of 88.

 

The R&B and soul superstar — who was behind the hits The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly with His Song — died “peacefully surrounded by her family” on Monday morning (Feb 24).

 

A representative for the singer-pianist said: “We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, Feb 24, 2025

“She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.”

 

The cause of death is not known.

 

However, in November 2022, it was revealed that she had been left unable to sing after being diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) — a neurodegenerative condition also known as motor neuron disease, which affects the brain and nerves.

 

In a press statement at the time, her manager Suzanne Koga said: “ALS has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak. But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon! But Roberta plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits.”

 

The news came just days before the premiere for her self-titled documentary about her life at the DOC NYC Film Festival.

Roberta started playing piano at the age of nine and was considered a child prodigy after being offered a music scholarship to Howard University at the age of 15.

She shot to fame when Clint Eastwood used The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face in his 1971 directorial debut, Play Misty for Me.

She went on to become the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years with The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face in 1973 and Killing Me Softly with His Song in 1974.

The latter became a number one hit in the US, Australia and Canada and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart. The Fugees and Lauryn Hill’s 1996 version went on to score a number one in 20 countries.

In 1972, Roberta started her working relationship with fellow soul legend Donny Hathaway. They duetted on the Grammy winning Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You, among other tracks, and were collaborators until his death in 1979 at the age of 33.

Her last number one, Feel Like Makin’ Love, was released in 1974.

 

She continued making music and in 2012, she released a Beatles covers called Let It Be Roberta.

 

Her final studio album was 2018’s Running. Two years later, she was honoured with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.