In 2016, Roberta Flack, the singer of “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” experienced a stroke.
The renowned Singer Roberta Flack, best known for unstoppable hits like “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” recently has been diagnosed with the degenerative neurological condition Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) as announced by her manager Suzanne Koga. Koga also remarked that the ALS disease has made it difficult for Flack to sing and speak, but she remains an icon that cannot be silenced. This is not Flack’s first health setback; she suffered a stroke in 2016.
Reports state that Flack plans to remain creative and work with her Roberta Flack Foundation despite her diagnosis. According to Flack’s website, the foundation exists to help aspiring creatives achieve their goals. She also plans to explore other avenues of creativity.
Antonino D’Ambrosio’s new film Roberta, a documentary about Flack, will premiere this week as part of the DOCNYC festival. The movie will then air on PBS as part of their American Masters series on January 24th, 2023. In addition to the film, next year, Flack will also release a children’s book named The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music, which she co-wrote with Tonya Bolden. This book tells the story of Flack’s childhood, how she learned to play piano, and how it changed her life.
Roberta Flack’s fourth solo album, “Killing Me Softly,” is approaching its 50th anniversary and will be reissued soon. To date, Roberta Flack has won five Grammy Awards–two of which were for “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” She was also awarded a lifetime achievement award in 2020.
