Roberta Flack, the Timeless Voice of “Killing Me Softly,” Passes Away at 88

 

The legendary American singer Roberta Flack, renowned for her rendition of “Killing Me Softly With His Song”, passed away this Monday at the age of 88. The sad news was confirmed by her publicist through an official statement. In recent years, Flack had been battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a disease she was diagnosed with in 2022, which ultimately took away her ability to sing.

An iconic figure in pop, soul, and R&B, Flack became one of the most influential voices of the 1970s. Although she gained widespread recognition after turning 30, her rise to fame was meteoric after Clint Eastwood featured her song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The heartfelt ballad, with Flack’s unmistakable voice floating over delicate string and piano arrangements, became an instant hit, reaching the top of the Billboard charts in 1972 and winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

Flack leaves behind an unforgettable legacy in music, with a career spanning over five decades and marked by performances that moved generations. Her passing represents the loss of one of the most exquisite and elegant voices in contemporary music.