Roberta Flack, whose soulful ballads and distinctive voice turned her into a cultural icon in the 1970s and beyond, died Monday at the age of 88.

The Grammy-winning singer and pianist passed away at her home, surrounded by family, her publicist said.

Flack rose to fame after Clint Eastwood featured her rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” in the film Play Misty for Me. The intimate ballad, along with other hits such as “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” cemented her status as one of the leading recording artists of the 1970s.

A classically trained pianist discovered by jazz musician Les McCann, she won five Grammys over her illustrious career, including consecutive awards for best record.

Her death comes after Flack announced in 2022, she had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and could no longer sing.

Flack’s Family Roots

Born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, in 1937 and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack, the second oldest of five siblings, was a musical prodigy.

In her early childhood, the family moved to Arlington, a segregated suburb of Washington. Her father, Laron Flack, worked as a draftsman in the Veterans Administration, her mother, Irene Flack, was a cook at a high school who also taught music and played the organ at Arlington’s A.M.E. Zion Church.

Growing up playing piano, at age 13, Flack won second place in a statewide competition for Black students after performing a Scarlatti sonata and by age 15, she earned a full scholarship to Howard University where she honed her classical piano skills before transitioning to jazz and soul.

After graduating from Howard University, she taught music in D.C.-area junior high schools for several years in her 20s, while performing after hours in clubs.

In regard to Flack’s personal life, she briefly married to bassist Steve Novosel from 1966 to 1972, an interracial relationship that led to tension with each of their families. In addition, Flack was also the godmother to musician Bernard Wright who died in an accident in 2022.

Her longtime residence at New York’s Dakota building placed her among legendary neighbors like John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the latter contributing liner notes to Flack’s Beatles cover album Let It Be Roberta.

A Social and Civil Advocate

Beyond her musical legacy, Flack was known for her commitment to social justice, performing at historic events as she has lent her voice to pivotal moments singing at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, major league baseball’s first Black player, and was among the many guest performers on the feminist children’s entertainment project created by Marlo Thomas, Free to Be … You and Me.

She also visited activist Angela Davis during her imprisonment as Davis faced charges, for which she was acquitted for murder and kidnapping.

Flack was also a member of the Artist Empowerment Coalition, which advocates for artists to have the right to control their creative properties. She was also a spokeswoman for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (ASPCA).

Remembering a Timeless Voice

Despite health setbacks, Flack remained committed to nurturing young talent through the Roberta Flack School of Music in New York, believing deeply in music’s transformative power. “Music is how I find my way,” she said in 2020.

Her legacy continues to resonate through her recordings as artists like Beyoncé and John Legend have acknowledged, Flack’s influence is woven into the fabric of contemporary music.

“I love that connection to other artists because we understand music, we live music, it’s our language,” Flack told songwriteruniverse.com in 2020. “Through music we understand what we are thinking and feeling. No matter what challenge life presents, I am at home with my piano, on a stage, with my band, in the studio, listening to music. I can find my way when I hear music.”

Reporting by The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Update 2/24/25, 1:32 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.