Roberta Flack

Celebrated for her elegant blend of jazz, folk, and soul, singer-songwriter Roberta Flack became a superstar in the ’70s. She scored three No. 1 US pop hits, including the timeless 1973 classic “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack began playing piano at age nine. By 15, her musical talents had earned her a full scholarship to attend Howard University. Her 1969 debut album, First Take, wasn’t a big seller. But a few years later, Clint Eastwood heard her slow and simmering version of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and used it for his 1971 directorial debut, Play Misty for Me. Flack’s version climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Record of the Year. Flack frequently collaborated with legendary musician Donny Hathaway throughout the ’70s. The pair was known for such hits as 1972’s Grammy-winning “Where Is the Love.” Her blockbuster 1973 album Killing Me Softly features “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1974. The hip-hop group Fugees had a massive hit with their 1996 remake of “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” Flack notched her third US No. 1 single with 1974’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and continued releasing albums through the early ’90s. Her final Top 10 pop hit came with 1991’s “Set the Night to Music,” a collaboration with British reggae singer Maxi Priest. In 2012, she returned with The Beatles tribute Let It Be Roberta - Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles, her first solo studio recording in 13 years. Flack has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Roberta Flack passed away in 2025 at the age of 88.