Roberta Flack, Iconic Voice of "Killing Me Softly," Dies at 88

A Career of Success and Recognition

• Flack earned 14 Grammy nominations, winning five, including back-to-back Record of the Year awards and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2020.

• Her breakthrough came with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", which gained prominence after being featured in Clint Eastwood's 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks.

• The release of "Killing Me Softly" in 1973 cemented her status as a music icon, winning her two more Grammys and becoming one of the most celebrated songs of all time.

• She collaborated with Donny Hathaway, recording the Grammy-winning duet "Where Is the Love", and reinterpreted songs from The Beatles and Leonard Cohen.

A Trailblazer in Music

• Beyond her vocal talent, Flack made history as a music producer, a role rarely held by women at the time.

• Her songs tackled social issues, addressing racial injustice in "Tryin’ Times", economic inequality in "Compared to What", and supporting the LGBTQ+ community with her rendition of "Ballad of the Sad Young Men".

• Her influence spanned generations, inspiring artists such as Lauryn Hill, the Fugees, Lizzo, Lady Gaga, and Ariana Grande.

Health Struggles and Final Years

In her later years, Flack battled health challenges, including a diagnosis of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2022, which prevented her from singing. Despite these hardships, her legacy remains strong through her timeless music.

An Everlasting Voice

Even decades into her career, Flack continued to reflect on the social issues embedded in her music. "I'm deeply saddened that many of the songs I recorded 50 years ago about civil rights and inequality are still relevant today," she stated in 2020. With a career defined by emotion, talent, and social consciousness, Roberta Flack leaves behind an extraordinary musical and cultural legacy. 🎶💔

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