ROBERTA FLACK (1937 - 2025)

Roberta Flack, one of the premiere vocal stylists to perform in popular music, has sadly passed away on February 24th. She had been in poor health over the last few years, suffering from a stroke and later diagnosed with ALS. Flack was eighty-eight. 

With a voice that was subtle yet resonant and powerfully emotional, Flack seemed to capture attention immediately after deciding to make music her career. After first becoming a school teacher in Washington D.C., the Howard University graduate began venturing out to perform at small clubs around town. This eventually lead to a meeting with executives at Atlantic Records and after a three-hour audition, Flack was signed to the label and her 1969 debut release, "First Take" quickly followed. The album did receive critical acclaim yet not much commercial attention. Her next two releases over the next couple of years, "Chapter Two" and "Quiet Fire" didn't fare much better. 

However Flack earned a fan with actor Clint Eastwood. He was in the process of making his directorial film debut in 1971, "Play Misty For Me" and not only did he use her sensual version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" from her debut (originally a folk song written by British political singer/songwriter, Ewan MacColl in 1957) but he devoted the entire recording to a memorable sequence in the film. And because of the popularity of "Play Misty For Me", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was promptly released as a single, becoming a smash hit in the US, reaching number one for six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Flack would go on to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year for this song.

Flack had befriended fellow label mate, singer Donny Hathaway, recording several songs he had written on her previous albums, and it was suggested that they should record an album together. "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway" was released in 1972 and the single, "Where Is the Love" became a popular top-five pop hit and earning the duo a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

She went to work on her next solo album and Flack hit number one again the following year with the title track, "Killing Me Softly With His Song". This single would go on to win the singer another Grammy for Record of The Year, making her the only artist at the time to have won this honor consecutively (U2 would later also achieve this feat). The song would find new life again in 1996 when The Fugees gave it a hip-hop beat and took it back to the top of the charts in the U.S. and Britain.

Flack would enjoy more hits with "Feel Like Makin' Love" (another number one pop hit); reteaming with Hathaway on "The Closer I Get to You", "You Are My Heaven" and "Back Together Again"; "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love", a duet with Peabo Bryson and "Set the Night to Music" with Maxi Priest.

Roberta Flack achieved a great amount of success throughout her lengthy career yet she had little interest in fame. Her focus remained always on the music. Never flashy nor ever felt the need to flaunt, what Flack brought with her singular gifts were considerable songs that are intuitive and heartfelt. She was a true original whose musical contributions will continue to endure for many generations to come.

TAKE TWO: ROBERTA FLACK

There doesn't seem to be many artists like Roberta Flack in pop music anymore.  This classically trained musician is able to create colorful sounds that are silky smooth and filled with great passion which appears to be deceptively effortless. She may not possess a big voice but Roberta Flack certainly knows how to use what she has for maximum effect.

Although she came from a musical family in North Carolina and at fifteen was one of the youngest students to ever be enrolled at Howard University to the music program, Flack first became a school teacher in Washington D.C. She later taught private piano lessons before venturing out herself to perform at small clubs around town. Les McCann, a jazz performer, caught Flack's act one evening and was highly impressed. He arranged for her to meet with executives at Atlantic Records and after a three-hour audition, Roberta Flack was signed and her debut album was quickly recorded.

"First Take" was released in 1969 and received little notice until actor, Clint Eastwood used a song from the album, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" for his directorial debut, "Play Misty For Me" in 1972. This song went on to reach the top of the pop chart, sell over a million copies and won a Grammy Award for Record of The Year. Flack hit number one again the following year with "Killing Me Softly With His Song" which also won the Grammy for Record of The Year making her the only artist at the time to have won that honor consecutively (U2 would later also achieve this feat). The song became popular again when The Fugees gave it a hip-hop spin in 1996 and took it back to the top of the charts in the U.S. and Britain.

Roberta Flack is also best known for her musical duets beginning with soul legend, Donny Hathaway. Some of their big hits include "Where is the Love" and "The Closer I Get To You" which both sold over a million copies. They recorded two albums together and won a Grammy for Best Vocal By A Duo Or Group before Hathaway's tragic death in 1979. Flack would also find more success from duets with Peabo Bryson ("Tonight I Celebrate My Love") and Maxi Priest ("Set The Night To Music").

Although her output has slowed down, Roberta Flack has continued to tour and make new music. Her last album, "Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles" was released in 2012. It was slightly challenging to narrow down but here are my two favorite songs by Roberta Flack:

THE THIRD TUNE OF CHRISTMAS

One of the best of the modern Christmas songs, "This Christmas" was originally written and recorded by the late, great Donny Hathaway. Of course, there are plenty of different takes of the song but this is still the only version that matters.   

"This Christmas" - Donny Hathaway (1970)