Celebrated Musician Roberta Flack Passes Away at 88
Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer known for hits like 'Killing Me Softly,' died at 88 after battling ALS, surrounded by her family.
For Flack's many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time.
Roberta Flack, Grammy-Winning Singer, Dies at 88
TIME Magazine·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.Flack's blend of R&B, soul and gospel didn't peak in the '70s.
Roberta Flack's 10 best songs remembered, from 'Killing Me Softly' to 'Where is the Love'
USA TODAY·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Flack's music was introduced to a new generation in the '90s thanks to the Fugees.
Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning singer of 'Killing Me Softly With His Song,' dies at 88
NBC News·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Roberta broke boundaries and records.
Roberta Flack: Killing Me Softly singer dies aged 88
BBC News·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Flack was born February 10, 1937, in North Carolina.
Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning singer of 'Killing Me Softly with His Song,' dies at 88
CNBC·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.For Flack’s many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time, her friends including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis, whom Flack visited in prison while Davis faced charges — for which she was acquitted — for murder and kidnapping.
Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning singer known for 'Killing Me Softly With His Song,' dies at 88
Boston Globe·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.For Flack's many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time.
CBS News·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Flack was a Grammy-winning singer and pianist who left a mark on the music industry with her top recordings, epic hits, and signature style.
R&B Legend Roberta Flack Dead At 88
Daily Caller·23d
·Mixed ReliableThis source has a mixed track record—sometimes accurate but also prone to bias, sensationalism, or incomplete reporting.RightThis outlet favors right-wing views.Flack’s soft, jazz-influenced recordings in the 1970s were early examples of quiet storm, a subgenre of R&B defined in the mid-’70s that became popular through the ’80s.
Roberta Flack, Formative Quiet-Storm Singer, Dead at 88
New York Post·23d
·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.Leans RightThis outlet slightly leans right.Flack was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years – in 1973 for The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – and in 1974 for Killing Me Softly With His Song.
Legendary Grammy-Winning Singer Roberta Flack Dies at 88
Breitbart News·23d
·Mixed ReliableThis source has a mixed track record—sometimes accurate but also prone to bias, sensationalism, or incomplete reporting.RightThis outlet favors right-wing views.Flack became an overnight star in the early 1970s after Clint Eastwood used "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in his film "Play Misty for Me."
Roberta Flack, 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' singer, dead at 88
FOX News·23d
·Mostly ReliableThis source is generally reliable but sometimes includes opinion, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies.Leans RightThis outlet slightly leans right.Flack’s emotional maturity helped expand the contemporary definitions of Black music and brought in a feminine perspective that helped plant the seed for artists such as Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys and India Arie.
Roberta Flack, timeless R&B singer-songwriter behind 'Killing Me Softly With His Song,' dies at 88
Los Angeles Times·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.Flack had already long-cemented her legacy as one of the defining voices of her generation – both as an interpreter of others’ songs and a writer of her own – notching a slew of chart-topping hits and racking up accolades.
Roberta Flack, Grammy Award-winning singer, dead at 88
CNN·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.Throughout her career, Flack built a musical legacy by working outside the confines of genre.
Roberta Flack, singer of 'Killing Me Softly,' has died at age 88
NPR·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.Flack’s impressive range of influences and collaborators was testament to her multidisciplinary approach and idiosyncratic style.
Roberta Flack, soul and R&B icon behind Killing Me Softly, dies aged 88
The Guardian·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.For Flack’s many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time, her friends including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis, whom Flack visited in prison while Davis faced charges — for which she was acquitted — for murder and kidnapping.
Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning ‘Killing Me Softly’ singer with an intimate style, dies at 88
Associated Press·23d
·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
Summary
Roberta Flack, famed for songs like ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ and ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song,’ passed away at 88, surrounded by family. A Grammy-winner renowned for her soulful and intimate performances, she was diagnosed with ALS in 2022, which curtailed her ability to sing. Flack, who started her career later than most, became iconic after her music was featured in Clint Eastwood's film 'Play Misty for Me.' Throughout her life, she promoted education and civil rights, influencing generations with her artistry and philanthropy, including establishing a music school for children.
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