March 20,2025
“Many people have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy cause.” Helen Keller
North Carolina native, Roberta Flack, died on February 24 after a fight with ALS. She was 88 years old. Flack was born in Black Mountain, NC a very rural area of Western NC, the same area recently hit by hurricane Helene. Both parents were musicians. Roberta was a classically trained pianist. At age 15 she accepted a full scholarship to attend Howard University to study music. She graduated four years later. She studied piano and voice.
Roberta had many top hits, but my favorites were “Killing Me Softly” and “The First Time I Ever Saw his Face.” Roberta Flack was a accomplished song writer.
Roberta was nominated for 14 Grammys and won 5. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she won numerous American Music awards. and was inducted into the NC Music Hall of Fame.
Roberta taught music at many levels, in both private classes and in public HS. Her influence on R/B music was large. She will be missed by all.
High Truths and Low Lies 