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Sista
Salute
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T.C.
Salutes.....
Roberta
Flack
Roberta Flack has
been killing people softly with her song for over three decades
now.
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This
sultry songstress paved the way for
R&B performers to move into the
new Adult contemporary style in the
'70s. Classy, urbane,
reserved, smooth, and sophisticated
— all of these terms have been
used to describe the music of
Roberta Flack, particularly her
string of romantic, light jazz
ballad hits. Flack was
the daughter of a church organist
and started playing piano early
enough to get a music scholarship
and eventual degree from Howard
University. After a period of
student teaching, Flack was
discovered singing at a club by jazz
musician Les McCann and signed to
Atlantic.
Her first two albums were well
received but produced no hit
singles; however, that all changed
when a version of Ewan MacColl's
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your
Face," from her first LP, was
included in the soundtrack of Play
Misty for Me. The single zoomed to
number one in 1972 and remained
there for six weeks, becoming that
year's biggest hit. Flack followed
it with the first of several duets
with Howard classmate Donny
Hathaway, "Where Is the
Love." "Killing Me Softly
With His Song" became Flack's
second number one hit (five weeks)
in 1973, and after topping the
charts again in 1974 with "Feel
Like Makin' Love," Flack took a
break from performing to concentrate
on recording and charitable causes.
She charted several more times over
the next few years, but a major blow
struck in 1979 when Hathaway
committed suicide. Devastated, Flack
was forced to find another partner
and eventually did in Peabo Bryson,
with whom she toured in 1980. The
two recorded together in 1983,
scoring a hit duet with
"Tonight, I Celebrate My
Love." Flack spent the
remainder of the '80s touring and
performing, often with orchestras,
and also several times with Miles
Davis. She returned to the Top Ten
once more in 1991 with "Set the
Night to Music," a duet with
Maxi Priest that appeared that year
on the album of the same name. Her
Roberta full-length, featuring
interpretations of jazz and popular
standards, followed in 1995.
Roberta Flack remains a living
legend and an inspiration and
motivation to talented, young
artists like Alicia Keys and India
Arie, and a "she-ro" to
loyal fans like myself.
TC
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