Roberta Flack Dies

She was a leading figure in soul and R&B music.

Roberta Cleopatra Flack, born on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, was a prodigious talent who began playing the piano at the age of nine. Raised in Arlington, Virginia, she received a full music scholarship to Howard University at just 15 years old, where she honed her skills in classical piano before transitioning to vocal performance.

After college, Flack worked as a music teacher and performed at local clubs, gradually building a reputation that led to her signing with Atlantic Records in the late 1960s.​ Flack’s breakthrough came with her rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” which became a chart-topping hit after being featured in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film “Play Misty for Me.”

This success was followed by other iconic songs such as “Killing Me Softly with His Song” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” solidifying her status as a leading figure in soul and R&B music. Throughout her career, she collaborated with artists like Donny Hathaway, producing memorable duets including “Where Is the Love” and “The Closer I Get to You.”

Studio LPS

  • 1969 First Take (US #1 R&B #1)
  • 1970 Chapter Two (R&B #4)
  • 1971 Quiet Fire (R&B #4)
  • 1972 Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (US #3 R&B #2)
  • 1973 Killing Me Softly (US #3 R&B #2)
  • 1975 Feel Like Makin’ Love (US #24 R&B #5)
  • 1977 Blue Lights in the Basement (US #8 R&B #5)
  • 1978 Roberta Flack (R&B #37)
  • 1980 Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway (US #25 R&B #4)
  • 1982 I’m the One (R&B #16)
  • 1983 Born to Love (with Peabo Bryson) (US #25 R&B #8)
  • 1988 Oasis (R&B #24)
  • 1991 Set the Night to Music
  • 1992 Stop the World
  • 1994 Roberta
  • 1997 The Christmas Album
  • 1999 Friends: Roberta Flack Sings Mariko Takahashi
  • 2003 Holiday
  • 2012 Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles

Flack’s unique blend of jazz, soul, pop, and R&B earned her multiple Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year in 1973 and 1974, making her the first artist to win the award in consecutive years.​ Beyond her musical achievements, Flack was dedicated to education and philanthropy. She founded the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx, providing free music education to underprivileged students.

Additionally, she was an active member of the Artist Empowerment Coalition, advocating for artists’ rights to control their creative works, and served as a spokesperson for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).​

Singles

  • 1969 “Compared to What” b/w “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”
  • 1970 “How Many Broken Wings” b/w “Baby, Baby” (Both sides with Les McCann)
  • 1970 “Reverend Lee” b/w “Business Goes On as Usual”
  • 1971 “Do What You Gotta Do” b/w “Let It Be Me”
  • 1971 “You’ve Got a Friend” b/w “Gone Away” (Both sides with Donny Hathaway) (US #29 R&B #8)
  • 1971 “That Lovin’ Feelin'” b/w “Be Real Black for Me” (Both sides with Donny Hathaway) (R&B#30)
  • 1972 “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” b/w “Go Up Moses” (R&B #38)
  • 1972 “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” b/w “Trade Winds” (Non-album track) (US #1 R&B #4)
  • 1972 “Where Is the Love” b/w “Mood” (Both sides with Donny Hathaway) (US #5 R&B #1)
  • 1973 “Killing Me Softly with His Song” b/w “Just Like a Woman” (US #1 R&B #2)
  • 1973 “Jesse” b/w “No Tears (In the End)” (US #30 R&B #19)
  • 1974 “Feel Like Makin’ Love” b/w “When You Smile” (US #1 R&B #1)
  • 1975 “Feelin’ That Glow” b/w “Some Gospel According to Matthew” (R&B #25)
  • 1977 “25th of Last December” b/w “Why Don’t You Move in with Me” (R&B #28)
  • 1978 “The Closer I Get to You” (with Donny Hathaway) b/w “Love Is the Healing” (US #2 R&B #1)
  • 1978 “If Ever I See You Again” b/w “I’d Like to Be Baby to You” (US #24 R&B #37)
  • 1978 “When It’s Over” b/w “Come Share My Love”
  • 1979 “You Are Everything” b/w “Knowing That We’re Made for Each Other”
  • 1980 “You Are My Heaven” (with Donny Hathaway) b/w “I’ll Love You Forever and Ever” (Non-album track) R&B #8)
  • 1980 “Back Together Again” (with Donny Hathaway) b/w “God Don’t Like Ugly” (R&B #8)
  • 1980 “Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long” b/w “Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love)”
  • 1980 “Make the World Stand Still” (with Peabo Bryson) b/w “Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love)” (R&B #13)
  • 1981 “Love Is a Waiting Game” b/w “More Than Everything” (Both sides with Peabo Bryson)
  • 1981 “You Stopped Loving Me” b/w “Qual E Malindrinho” (R&B #32)
  • 1981 “Lovin’ You (Is Such an Easy Thang to Do)” b/w “Hittin’ Me Where It Hurts”
  • 1982 “Making Love” b/w “Jesse” (from Killing Me Softly) (US #13 R&B #29)
  • 1982 “I’m the One” b/w “‘Til the Morning Comes” (R&B #24)
  • 1982 “In the Name of Love” b/w “Happiness” (R&B #24)
  • 1982 “Our Love Will Stop the World” (with Eric Mercury) b/w “Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love)”
  • 1983 “This Side of Forever” B-side by The Enforcers: “Robbery Suspects”
  • 1983 “Remember When (So Much in Love)” (with Peabo Bryson) B-side by Peabo Bryson: “Don’t Play with Fire”
  • 1983 “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” b/w “Born to Love” (Both sides with Peabo Bryson) (US #16 R&B #5)
  • 1983 “Maybe” b/w “Can We Find Love Again” (Both sides with Peabo Bryson)
  • 1983 “You’re Lookin’ Like Love to Me” (with Peabo Bryson) B-side by Peabo Bryson: “Let Me Be the One You Need” (R&B #41)
  • 1983 “Heaven Above Me” b/w “Can We Find Love Again” (Both sides with Peabo Bryson)
  • 1984 “I Just Came Here to Dance” b/w “Can We Find Love Again” (Both sides with Peabo Bryson)
  • 1984 “If I’m Still Around Tomorrow” (with Sadao Watanabe) B-side by Sadao Wantanabe: “West Side Drive”
  • 1986 “We Shall Overcome” b/w “Let Me Be a Light to Shine” (with Howard Hewett) b/w “You Know What It’s Like” (R&B #1)
  • 1989 “Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out” b/w “You Know What It’s Like” (R&B #37)
  • 1989 “Shock to My System” b/w “You Know What It’s Like”
  • 1991 “Set the Night to Music” (with Maxi Priest) b/w “Natural Thing” (US #6)
  • 1992 “You Make Me Feel Brand New” (CD single with two versions)
  • 1996 “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (Reborn Club Vox) (12″ record with four additional mixes)
  • 1997 “The Christmas Song” b/w “25th Of Last December”
  • 2010 “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (UK re-release)
  • 2011 “We Can Work It Out” (CD single with two versions)
  • 2018 “Running” (CD single)
  • 2021 “What’s Going On” (Previously unreleased 1971 recording of Marvin Gaye’s song)

In 2022, Flack was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which led to her retirement from performing. She passed away on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the age of 88, in Manhattan, New York. Flack was previously married to bassist Steve Novosel

from 1966 to 1972 and was the aunt of professional ice skater Rory Flack. Her legacy continues to influence artists across genres, and she is remembered for her soulful voice, musical versatility, and commitment to artistic integrity.

Further Reading
Sources

Author: Doyle

I was born in Atlanta, moved to Alpharetta at 4, lived there for 53 years and moved to Decatur in 2016. I've worked at such places as Richway, North Fulton Medical Center, Management Science America (Computer Tech/Project Manager) and Stacy's Compounding Pharmacy (Pharmacy Tech).

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Doyle's Space

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading