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Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack has died aged 88

Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack has died aged 88, her representatives have confirmed in a new statement.

“We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025,” the statement reads. “She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.”

Roberta Flack, born in North Carolina, was introduced to gospel music at a young age. She began playing and teaching music early on, inspired by artists like Aretha Franklin.

After a stint performing in nightclubs around Washington DC, Flack earned a residency at local club Mr Henry’s, where she met the late Les McCann – a jazz pianist and vocalist.

Shortly after in 1968, with the help of McCann, Flack signed to Atlantic Records. Her first breakout hit was produced just a year later – a cover of Ewan MacColl’s ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ – which went on to pick up international acclaim.

The track was used in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film Play Misty For Me, and earned Flack a Song Of The Year award at the GRAMMYs the following year.

In 1973, Flack became the first artist to win the best record title at the GRAMMY Awards for two consecutive years with her hit 1972 track ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’.

The track saw a resurgence in the ‘90s after it was covered by famed hip hop group the Fugees, who she would later perform alongside at a concert.

During the course of her career, Flack won five GRAMMY Awards, including a lifetime achievement award in 2020. Her music touched a generation of artists such as Questlove, Stephanie Mills, and Jennifer Hudson, all of whom have paid tribute.

Read some tributes below.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter

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