Iconic pop and R&B vocalist Roberta Flack has passed away at the age of 88, according to a statement from her representative. She died peacefully on February 24, surrounded by family. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Flack rose to stardom in the early 1970s with “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” both of which won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year in consecutive years—an achievement unmatched until U2 in the early 2000s. She was also known for her collaborations with Donny Hathaway, including the smash hits “Where Is the Love” and “The Closer I Get to You.”
A classically trained pianist, Flack was a musical prodigy who entered Howard University at 15 on a full scholarship. She initially worked as a schoolteacher before being discovered while performing in Washington, D.C., leading to a recording deal with Atlantic Records in 1968.
Flack’s signature sound—a blend of soul, jazz, and pop—dominated the charts through the ’70s and ’80s, earning her multiple Grammy Awards, platinum albums, and crossover success. Hits like “Feel Like Making Love” and her later duet with Peabo Bryson, “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” solidified her legacy.
Though her mainstream success slowed in later decades, Flack remained active in music, releasing her final album, “Let It Be Roberta”, in 2012. She was nominated for 13 Grammy Awards throughout her career and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
