Roberta Flack, soulful voice behind ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ dies at 88

Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose soulful voice was behind ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’  passed away on Monday at the age of 88.

Her publicist confirmed that Flack died surrounded by family, several years after she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which had robbed her of her ability to sing in her later years.

Flack’s career was marked by an intimate, soul-stirring style that captivated audiences worldwide. She rose to prominence in the 1970s with timeless hits like ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ and ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’, both of which earned her Grammy Awards for Record of the Year in consecutive years—1973 and 1974—a feat unmatched by any other artist at the time. Her music blended soul, jazz, and R&B, delivered with a quiet intensity that made listeners feel every note and lyric.

Born on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Flack was a classically trained musician who began playing piano as a child. She studied music education at Howard University and taught music before transitioning to a full-time performing career. Her big break came in her early 30s, a relatively late start for a pop star, when director Clint Eastwood chose ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ for his 1971 film ‘Play Misty for Me’. The song’s haunting beauty soared to No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1972, cementing Flack’s place in the music world.

However, it was ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ that became her signature anthem. Released in 1973, the song topped the charts for five weeks and won Flack two Grammys, including Record of the Year.

The track, originally written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel and inspired by Lori Lieberman’s experience at a Don McLean concert, resonated deeply with Flack when she heard Lieberman’s version on a flight. She reworked it into a lush, soulful masterpiece that spoke to the power of music to touch the soul—an irony not lost on fans given her own ability to do just that.

The song’s legacy endured, later reimagined by the Fugees in 1996, with Lauryn Hill’s dynamic vocals introducing it to a new generation. Both versions earned spots on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Flack collaborated with artists like Donny Hathaway on classics such as “Where Is the Love,”. Her 1973 album ‘Killing Me Softly’ reached No. 1 on the U.S. charts, a testament to her broad appeal.

Her lifetime achievements were honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.