Roberta Flack of 'Killing Me Softly' fame dies at 88

FRANCE 24 English

Visit our website: http://www.france24.com  Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English  Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/France24_en

Transcript

00:00She became one of America's most influential singers with hits such as this.

00:12Born in North Carolina, Roberta Flack started out as a classical pianist.

00:17After graduating with a degree in music education, her recording career began after musician

00:22Les McCann spotted her singing at a club in Washington, D.C.

00:26McCann helped her clinch an audition at Atlantic Studios.

00:30Her debut record, First Take, came soon after, in 1969.

00:35Combining elements of genres including jazz and soul, it included the ballad The First

00:39Time Ever I Saw Your Face.

00:48By featuring the song in his 1971 film, Play Misty for Me, actor-director Clint Eastwood

00:54helped her propel it to number one.

00:57In the years that followed, Flack swept up a string of awards at the Grammys, including

01:01in 1973 for her collaboration with Donny Hathaway on Where Is The Love?

01:07The musician was also presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

01:12Civil rights, racism and sexism were among the themes Flack explored in her music.

01:19In 1999, she performed for the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

01:23That same year, she was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

01:28She died on Monday at the age of 88.

01:32Flack's death comes after several years of health struggles, including a diagnosis of

01:35motor neurone disease that she announced in 2022.

Category

Transcript

Recommended