Biography
Born 10 February 1937, Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Born into a musical family, Flack graduated from Howard University with a BA in music. She was discovered singing and playing jazz in a Washington nightclub by pianist Les McCann, who recommended her talents to Atlantic Records. Two classy albums, First Take and Chapter Two, garnered considerable acclaim for their skilful, often introspective, content before Flack achieved huge success with a poignant version of folk-singer Ewan MacColl's ballad, "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".
Recorded in 1969, it was a major international hit three years later, following its inclusion in the movie Play Misty For Me. Further hits came with "Where Is The Love" (1972), a duet with Donny Hathaway, and "Killing Me Softly With His Song" (1973), where Flack's penchant for sweeter, more MOR-styled compositions gained an ascendancy. Her cool, almost unemotional style benefited from a measured use of slow material, although she seemed less comfortable on up-tempo songs. Flack's self-assurance wavered during the mid-70s, but further duets with Hathaway, "The Closer I Get To You" (1978) and "Back Together Again" (1980), suggested a rebirth. She was shattered when her partner committed suicide in 1979, but in the 80s Flack enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Peabo Bryson that reached a commercial, if sentimental, peak with "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" in 1983. Set The Night To Music was produced by the highly respected Arif Mardin, but the bland duet with Maxi Priest on the title track was representative of this soulless collection of songs. Still, Roberta Flack remains a crafted, if precisionist, performer.
Discography:
First Take (Atlantic 1970)****, Chapter Two (Atlantic 1970)***, Quiet Fire (Atlantic 1971)**, Roberta Flack And Donny Hathaway (Atlantic 1972)***, Killing Me Softly (Atlantic 1973)**, Feel Like Making Love (Atlantic 1975)**, Blue Lights In The Basement (Atlantic 1978)**, Roberta Flack (Atlantic 1978)**, Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway (Atlantic 1980)***, with Peabo Bryson Live And More (Atlantic 1980)**, Bustin' Loose (MCA 1981)**, I'm The One (Atlantic 1982)**, with Bryson Born To Love (Capitol 1983)***, Oasis (Atlantic 1989)**, Set The Night To Music (Atlantic 1991)**, Roberta (Atlantic/EastWest 1995)***.
Compilations:
The Best Of Roberta Flack (Atlantic 1980)***, Softly With These Songs: The Best Of Roberta Flack (Atlantic 1993)***.
Bibliography:
Roberta Flack: Sound Of Velvet Melting, Linda Jacobs.
Filmography:
The Wiz voice only (1978), Renaldo And Clara (1978).
Music Albums
Best Of Roberta Flack [Cassette]
Atlantic
n/a
Blue Lights In The Basement
Atlantic
09/19/1995
Chapter Two
Atlantic
10/13/1992
Feel Like Makin' Love
Atlantic
10/13/1992
First Take
Atlantic
09/19/1995
I'm The One
Atlantic
08/21/1990
Killing Me Softly
Atlantic
09/19/1995
Oasis
Atlantic
06/07/1988
Quiet Fire
Atlantic
10/13/1992
Set The Night To Music
Atlantic
09/17/1991
Softly With These Songs: The Best Of Roberta...
Atlantic
06/22/1993
Roberta
Atlantic
10/11/1994
The Classic Mix [EP]
Atlantic
10/29/1996
Holiday *
RSJ Records
07/22/2003
Source: Encyclopedia of Popular Music
