# Celebrating Roberta Flack at 86 – Killing Me Softly: Video, Photos

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/02/11/celebrating-roberta-flack-at-86-killing-me-softly-video-photos/
- Published: 2023-02-11T00:02:07+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Award-winning vocalist and educator Charenee Wade joins Angélika Beener to celebrate
Roberta Flack on the legendary musician’s 86th birthday through a rich discussion
of her classic _Killing Me Softly _LP, which turns 50 this year and the new PBS 
American Masters documentary which chronicles Flack’s fascinating career. **

Wade speaks on Flack’s invitation to expand what soul and activism can sound like,
the true role and impact of an interpreter, and much more.

![Roberta Flack can no longer sing after ALS diagnosis | CNN](https://i0.wp.com/
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w=640&ssl=1)

Internationally hailed as one of the greatest songstresses of our time, GRAMMY Award
winning Roberta Flack remains unparalleled in her ability to tell a story through
her music. Her songs bring insight into our lives, loves, culture and politics, 
while effortlessly traversing a broad musical landscape from pop to soul to folk
to jazz. She is the only solo artist to win the GRAMMY Award Record of the Year 
for two (2) consecutive years: _The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face_ won the 1973
GRAMMY and _Killing Me Softly with His Song_ won the 1974 GRAMMY.

Classically trained on the piano from an early age, Ms. Flack received a music scholarship
at age 15 to attend Howard University. Discovered while singing at the Washington,
DC nightclub Mr. Henry’s by jazz musician Les McCann, she was immediately signed
to Atlantic Records. With a string of hits, including, _The First Time Ever I Saw
Your Face_, _Where Is the Love_ (a duet with former Howard University classmate 
Donny Hathaway), _Killing Me Softly With His Song_, _Feel Like Makin’ Love_, _The
Closer I Get to You_, _Tonight I Celebrate My Love_, and _Set the Night to Music_,
Roberta Flack has inspired countless artists with her musical brilliance and honesty.

Described by Reverend Jesse Jackson as “socially relevant and politically unafraid”,
Ms. Flack is very active as a humanitarian and mentor. She founded the Roberta Flack
School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx, providing an
innovative and inspiring music education program to underprivileged students free
of charge.

In 2010, Ms. Flack founded The Roberta Flack Foundation whose mission statement 
is to support animal welfare and music education. In 2019, she awarded grants to
Anasa Troutman’s Shelectricity and filmmaker Carol Swainson.

In 2018, Ms. Flack retired from touring and continues to make special appearances.

In 2020, Ms. Flack received a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, she
raised awareness and funds for Feed The Children.org during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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