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Black Mountain -- November 15, 2022: Roberta Flack, a Grammy Award-winning singer, was born on
February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain.
The Grammy-winning artist Flack, 85, is best known for his singles "The First Time I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song."
According to her manager Suzanne Koga, her ALS, widely known as Lou Gehrig's disease, has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak,” manager Suzanne Koga said in a statement to the AP . “But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon.”
At age nine, Roberta Flack developed a passion for playing the piano and progressed greatly. At Mr. Henry's Restaurant on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., she made her professional singing debut. Les McCann quickly came upon her in a D.C. nightclub. Flack was given a chance to try out for Atlantic Records, and three months later, "First Take," her debut album, was finished. Both "First Take" and her single "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" finally peaked at number one on the Billboard charts.
She was one of the youngest students ever to enroll at Howard University when she was awarded a full scholarship at the age of 15. She switched from piano to voice as her major while attending Howard.
Later, Flack recorded more well-known songs, including as the number-one single "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and the well-liked songs he co-wrote with Donny Hathaway, such as "The Closer I Get to You." The hip-hop group Fugees and R&B vocalists Beyoncé and Luther Vandross both re-recorded the tracks, which are still in demand today.
In 1999, Roberta Flack was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The legend boasts three Billboard number-one hits, four Grammy nominations, and is considered as one of the greatest singers of all time.
Despite being unable to sing due to an incurable disease called ALS, singer Roberta Flack intends to continue working on projects, her manager stated on Monday.
A uncommon form of neurological disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) destroys the brain cells that regulate voluntary muscular movements like chewing, talking, and walking. The disease cannot be effectively treated to slow down or stop its progression.
One of Flack's current projects is the documentary "Roberta," which will make its debut this week at a film festival in New York City. The film, which was helmed by Antonino D'Ambrosio, will also air on PBS on January 24, according to the AP.
According to the AP, she also intends to release a children's book that she co-wrote with Tonya Bolden. In January, a book titled "The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music" will be released.
A reissue of her fourth album, "Killing Me Softly," will be released in 2023 to coincide with its 50th anniversary, according to the AP.
In the release Flack said, “I have long dreamed of telling my story to children about that first green piano that my father got for me from the junkyard in the hope that they would be inspired to reach for their dreams,” Flack was quoted as saying in the release. “I want them to know that dreams can come true with persistence, encouragement from family and friends, and most of all belief in yourself.”
Through her foundation, Flack also "plans to be engaged in her musical and creative interests," Koga said.
WNCTIMES by Marjorie Farrington
