Grammy Award-winning singer Roberta Flack dies aged 88

Grammy Award-winning singer Roberta Flack, whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the late 20th century, has died aged 88.

Flack rose to fame with her songs 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' and 'Killing Me Softly With His Song', which topped the charts in the 1970s.

"We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning February 24, 2025," publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. 

"She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator."

Flack revealed in November 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and could no longer sing.

ALS is a progressive illness that impacts nerve cells and causes paralysis and death.

Musical family leads to lifetime of achievement

Flack was born on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina. 

She was one of four children born into a musical family.

Flack started playing piano when she was nine years old, encouraged by her mother, who was a church organist.

The legendary singer finished secondary school at 15 and received a full scholarship to Howard University, where she majored in music. 

After becoming a school teacher, she began also singing in local clubs at night. 

American jazz musician Les McCann heard her singing at the Mr. Henry's club in Washington and helped her sign a contract with Atlantic Records.

The classically trained pianist defied musical genres as she blended aspects of jazz, soul, pop and R&B to create a distinctive style and became one of America's most influential singers.

The singer won four Grammys, produced 20 studio albums and was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. 

She was the first artist to win two consecutive Record of the Year trophies for 1973’s 'First Time I Ever Saw Your Face' and 1974's 'Killing Me Softly with His Song.'

"In more than a half-century of making music, she's established herself as one of the most distinctive song stylists in the pop arena," National Public Radio said of Flack in 2020.

Although she wrote some of her own songs and collaborated on others, she considered herself as an interpreter of the music.

AP/Reuters