Roberta Flack, a 'Legend that Transcended Generations,' Dies at 88

Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack ’23H passed away Monday at the age of 88. Known for her ability to tell a story with her voice, the four-time Grammy winner is the only solo artist to win back-to-back Grammys for Record of the Year. 

Flack grew up in a large musical family in North Carolina, where she started playing piano at age nine and received a full scholarship to Howard University at 15. She was discovered by jazz musician Les McCann while singing in a Washington, DC, nightclub and was soon signed to Atlantic Records. From her debut album, First Take, in 1969 to her Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, Flack's career spanned six decades and produced countless hits, including duets with Donny Hathaway and interpretations of songs by the likes of Leonard Cohen and the Beatles.

In 2007, the former teacher founded the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx, which provides an innovative and inspiring music education program for free to students.

In her remarks to Berklee's 2023 graduating class, Flack reflected on her deep love of education. “To this day, I continue to be a student of music; it finds me everywhere—in the darkest of moments, in the times of fear, and the depths of doubt. . . . It lifts me higher than the sky, warming my heart and opening my soul to love, to dream, and to try. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Use what you have and share yourselves with the world.”

Watch students celebrate honorees including Flack at the 2023 commencement concert:

"Roberta Flack was a legend whose music transcended generations," says Associate Professor Keli Nicole Price, who teaches R&B songwriting. "Though I was born years after her career began, I grew up knowing all of her hits—her voice was everywhere, shaping the sound of love and storytelling in music. My parents sang ‘The Closer I Get to You’ at their wedding, a testament to how deeply her artistry touched people’s lives. I regularly sing 'Killing Me Softly' in my own performances, and it never fails to remind me of her brilliance."  

“I always remember soloing on one of her ballads—she says to me, ‘play it more like Miles,’” says Elan Trotman, associate professor in the Ensemble Department. “Ever since that day, I’ve paid more attention to the use of space and adapting the concept of ‘less is more.’”

"Roberta Flack's majestic voice was more than music—it was a bridge between the human heart and the world," says Senior Concert Producer Maureen McMullan ’09. "As an educator, pianist, songwriter, and vocalist, she shared her brilliance across many realms. As a singular artist, she infused her work and vocal timbre with the beauty of both classical technique and contemporary singing, bringing a depth, precision, and nuance to every note. With each song, she poured the richness of love, joy, pain, and resilience into a soundtrack that transcended time and genres."

“Today, she and her favorite duet partner, Donny Hathaway, are giving heaven an unforgettable concert, and we here on Earth will forever be singing along,” says Price.