Roberta Flack 1937 - 2025

✨ Roberta Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2024) ✨

I remember the first time I heard Roberta Flack’s voice—or at least, the first time I truly noticed it. I was a 13-year-old boy in 1973, just at the beginning of my lifelong obsession with music. I played my little pocket-sized transistor radio day and night.

I was lost in my own musical heaven, grooving to the rhythm of ”Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest. That was my favorite song in early 1973—I loved that keyboard intro. As the song faded out, a smooth, soulful, magical voice appeared, singing, “Strumming my face with his fingers...” It was so beautiful. It felt like I was floating on clouds—of course, I had never actually floated on clouds, but Flack’s super-smooth voice and delicate piano gave me an ethereal sensation. Her notes drifted gently from the keyboard like whispers in the wind.

A few days later, I was listening to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 on my trusty little radio. Every song on that countdown was a favorite, and I eagerly waited for the number one song. I expected Elton John’s ”Crocodile Rock” to spend a fourth week at the top, since it was still getting major airplay. But to my surprise, it was at #3. Now I was really curious—”What’s this week’s number one song?”

At #2 was “Dueling Banjos.” At that point in my life, I didn’t yet appreciate the skill behind instrumental banjo playing, so I tuned it out while playing with my Hot Wheels cars. Then a commercial break came on, and I groaned. “Come on, just get to number one!” Finally, the moment arrived—Casey announced that Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” was the new number one song.

I had only heard it for the first time a few days earlier—how was it already at the top? I listened again, mesmerized by the beauty of the song. And after that, it seemed to be everywhere. You couldn’t escape it. ”Killing Me Softly” stayed at number one for five weeks in the U.S. It also reached #1 in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and was a top 10 hit in the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, and Argentina. This was a huge accomplishment—back in the early 1970s, it was rare for a Black musician to have a worldwide hit. By the 1980s, that had changed drastically, but in the early ’70s, Roberta Flack was breaking musical boundaries with her beautiful songs.

The following week, I learned that she had already had another number one hit just a year earlier—”The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” which spent six weeks at #1 in the U.S. And of course, I did know that song—I just hadn’t connected it to her. At 12, my musical taste was still centered around the Partridge Family and the Jackson 5. I hadn’t yet “graduated” to adult music, but “Killing Me Softly” was pulling me in that direction.

For a short while, I became obsessed with Roberta Flack. During a trip to our local department store, I browsed the 8-track tapes and came across an album she had recorded with Donny Hathaway. I looked at the song titles and recognized “Where Is the Love”—another huge hit. Suddenly, I realized I already knew many of her songs. I just hadn’t known they were hers.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Roberta Flack was born in Farmville, North Carolina, and raised in Arlington, Virginia. She grew up in a large musical family—her mother was a church organist. Flack often accompanied the choir at Lomax African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, playing hymns and spirituals on the piano. She also enjoyed visiting the Baptist church down the street, where she was captivated by contemporary gospel music, including performances by Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke.

She started playing piano at age nine and earned a full music scholarship to Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C. At just 15, she was one of the youngest students in the school’s history.

After graduating from Howard at 19, Flack became a student teacher in Maryland. Following her father’s sudden death, she moved back to Farmville, where she worked as a music and English teacher. She taught at several schools before deciding to pursue a career in music. Back in Washington, D.C., she began performing in various clubs, most notably the 1520 Club.

At 31, the classically trained pianist and singer finally got her big break when she was hired to sing at Mr. Henry’s, a restaurant on Capitol Hill. This led to her being signed by Atlantic Records in 1968.

Rise to Stardom

Flack’s debut album, First Take, was released in June 1969. Initially, it saw only moderate success. However, two years later, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was featured in the film Play Misty for Me. The song’s popularity skyrocketed, topping the U.S. charts for six weeks. More than three years after its release, First Take also reached #1. Roberta Flack was now a household name.

From there, she continued to dominate the charts. In 1974, she had another major hit with “Feel Like Makin’ Love”, a soulful jazz tune that reached #1 in both the U.S. and Canada.

She also recorded several successful duets. “Where Is the Love”, her 1973 collaboration with Donny Hathaway, was a top-five hit. In 1978, the duo reunited for “The Closer I Get to You”, which peaked at #2. Moving into the 1980s, Flack teamed up with Peabo Bryson for “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love”, which reached #16 in the U.S. in 1983.

Awards and Legacy

Roberta Flack made history as the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year two years in a row. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” won in 1973, followed by “Killing Me Softly with His Song” in 1974. She remains the only solo artist to achieve this feat—only U2 has matched it, winning in 2001 (Beautiful Day) and 2002 (Walk On).

In total, Flack won five Grammy Awards and one American Music Award.

Roberta Flack’s Career Highlights

Top 10 Adult Contemporary Hits: 12

#1 Adult Contemporary Hits: 4 (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Where Is the Love, Feel Like Makin’ Love, If Ever I See You Again)

Top 40 Hits: 11 (U.S.), 6 (UK), 9 (Canada)

#1 Hits:

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (1972 – U.S., Australia, Canada)

Killing Me Softly with His Song (1973 – U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada)

Feel Like Makin’ Love (1974 – U.S., Canada)

The Closer I Get to You (1978 – Canada)

Biggest Hit: Killing Me Softly with His Song (1973)

Top 10 Albums: 4 (U.S.), 2 (Canada), 1 (Australia)

#1 Albums: First Take (U.S.)

Studio Albums Recorded: 20

Awards: 5 Grammy Awards, 1 American Music Award

Duets: Donny Hathaway (Where Is the Love, The Closer I Get to You), Peabo Bryson (Tonight I Celebrate My Love), Maxi Priest (Set the Night to Music)

Career Span: 1968–2022

Trivia

On February 7, 2012, Flack released her 19th studio album, Let It Be Roberta, a soul-filled collection of Beatles covers. The album included classics such as “We Can Work It Out”, “Hey Jude”, “The Long and Winding Road”, and “Here, There and Everywhere”. Flack reimagined each song, adding her own inimitable touch.

Sources: Wikipedia, Billboard, Billboard Database, Music Chart Archives, My own life experiences

Proofread with Grammerly, ChatGPT, and Myself

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