Roberta Flack, R&B Icon Known for Hits Like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Dies at 88
February 24, 2025
R&B legend Roberta Flack, known for hits like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly, has passed away at 88. Her career spanned decades, earning multiple Grammys.
Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack, best known for The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song, has died at the age of 88.
A statement from her representatives said, “We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025. She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.”
Flack had previously revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which left her unable to sing. She also suffered a stroke in 2016, which impacted her ability to perform.
Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack started as a classical pianist before launching her recording career after being discovered by jazz musician Les McCann. Her breakthrough came when The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was featured in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film Play Misty for Me, earning her the Grammy for Song of the Year.
She went on to win another Grammy for Killing Me Softly With His Song and topped charts with Feel Like Makin’ Love. In 2020, Flack received a Grammy lifetime achievement award, marking a career that spanned decades and touched millions.
Flack had a special connection to Barbados, where she visited in 1990 and fell in love with local coconut vendor Junior ‘Zigga’ Grazette. Their relationship lasted nine years. (BBC/Nation News Desk)
