Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning R&B singer and pianist known for her soulful hits like "Killing Me Softly with His Song" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," passed away yesterday at age 88. No cause of death was given, though Flack was diagnosed in 2022 with Lou Gehrig’s disease, which left her unable to sing.
She rose to stardom in her early 30s after Clint Eastwood featured "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" in his 1971 directorial debut "Play Misty for Me," pushing the song to the top of the Billboard chart and earning her a Grammy for record of the year in 1973. Originally a folk song by Ewan MacColl, "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" was reinterpreted by Flack into a slower-paced romantic ballad.
Flack won record of the year again for "Killing Me Softly with His Song" in 1974, becoming the first to nab back-to-back wins in the category. A version of the song also topped the charts again in 1996 when hip-hop trio the Fugees recorded their take on the hit. Hear Flack's most popular songs here. See her life in pictures here.
Comments