Killing Me Softly singer Roberta Flack dies aged 88

Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer behind the classic Killing Me Softly With His Song and one of the most recognizable voices of the 1970s, died Monday at age 88.

Flack's publicist announced her death without citing a cause.

The influential pop and R&B star in recent years had lost her ability to sing because of ALS, known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which she was diagnosed with in 2022.

"She died peacefully surrounded by her family," the statement from the publicist said.

The classically trained musician with a tender but confident voice produced a number of early classics of rhythm and blues that she frequently described as "scientific soul," timeless works that blended meticulous practice with impeccable taste.

Flack's many accolades also included a lifetime achievement honor from the Recording Academy in 2020.

"I've been told I sound like Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Odetta, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, even Mahalia Jackson," Flack said in 1970.

"If everybody said I sounded like one person, I'd worry. But when they say I sound like them all, I know I've got my own style."

Agence France-Presse