Legendary Singer Roberta Flack Shares Grave Health Update
On Monday, a representative for Roberta Flack made an announcement that the Grammy-winning musician has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, leaving the singer unable to sing.
Flack’s manager, Suzanne Koga, stated in a release that the disease “has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak. But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon.”
Flack is better know for her hit song “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” Though it was her song “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” that took her to stardom when Clint Eastwood used it as the soundtrack for a love scene in his 1971 movie “Play Misty for Me,” according to The Associated Press.
Legendary singer Roberta Flack has announced she has ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and can no longer sing.https://t.co/0ZFiAae84T
— KTLA (@KTLA) November 16, 2022
According to the release, as reported by AP, Flack, now 85, “plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits” through her foundation and other outlets.
Though her diagnosis limits her, it certainly has not slowed the legendary singer down. According to the release, Flack plans on publishing a children’s book co-written by Tonya Bolden. Titled “The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music,” the book will tell the story of how her musical career started.
“I have long dreamed of telling my story to children about that first green piano that my father got for me from the junkyard in the hope that they would be inspired to reach for their dreams,” Flack said. “I want them to know that dreams can come true with persistence, encouragement from family and friends, and most of all belief in yourself.”
Flack’s health update comes days before the premiere of “Roberta,” a feature-length documentary that is scheduled to debut Thursday at the DOCNYC film festival. The documentary will air on television Jan. 24 as part of PBS’ “American Masters” series, the same month that her children’s book is scheduled to also be published.
Next year, Flack will also be celebrating the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of her fourth album, “Killing Me Softly,” with a reissue.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her during this difficult time.
