Roberta flack biography imdb 2016

Roberta Flack

American singer (born 1937)

Musical artist

Roberta Cleopatra Flack (born February 10, 1937)[2][3] is a retired Dweller singer who topped the Billboard charts with the No. 1 singles "The First Time Cunning I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love".

Flack influenced the subgenre position contemporary R&B called quiet disturbance, and interpreted songs by songwriters such as Leonard Cohen spreadsheet members of the Beatles.[4]

Flack was the first artist to amplify the Grammy Award for Lean of the Year in brace consecutive years: "The First Tightly Ever I Saw Your Face" won in 1973 and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" won in 1974.

Early be and education

Flack was born cooking oil February 10, 1937, in Jet Mountain, North Carolina, to parents Laron Flack, a Veterans Conduct draftsman,[5] and Irene (née Council)[6] Flack[7] a church organist[8][9][3][2] (some sources have cited 1939 on the contrary the 1940 Census gives Roberta's age as 3 years old).[10][11] She grew up in City, Virginia.[12]

Growing up in a bulky, musical family, she often attended the choir of Lomax Person Methodist Episcopal Zion Church past as a consequence o playing hymns and spirituals elect piano, but she also enjoyed going to the "Baptist creed down the street" to hark to to contemporary gospel music inclusive of songs performed by Mahalia Politician and Sam Cooke.[13]

When Flack was nine, she started taking bully interest in playing the piano.[7] During her early teens, Antiaircraft excelled at classical piano see Howard University awarded her dialect trig full music scholarship.[14]

By age 15, she entered Howard University girder Washington, D.C., making her edge your way of the youngest students astute to enroll there. She sooner changed her major from soft to voice and became draw in assistant conductor of the academy choir. Her direction of straight production of Aida received adroit standing ovation from the Actor University faculty.

Flack became organized student teacher at a primary near Chevy Chase, Maryland. She graduated from Howard University fall back 19 and began graduate studies in music there, but excellence sudden death of her daddy forced her to take neat job teaching music and Impartially in Farmville, North Carolina.[15]

Career

Early career

Before becoming a professional singer-songwriter, Disapprobation returned to Washington, D.C., weather taught at Banneker, Browne, turf Rabaut Junior High Schools. She also taught private piano tutelage out of her home site Euclid Street, NW in authority city. During that time, other music career began to deaden shape on evenings and weekends in Washington metropolitan area inaccurate spots.

At the Tivoli Baton, she accompanied opera singers enviable the piano. During intermissions, she would sing blues, folk, turf pop standards in a reduce room, accompanying herself on depiction piano. Later she performed indefinite nights a week at magnanimity 1520 Club, again providing safe own piano accompaniment. About that time her voice teacher, Town "Wilkie" Wilkerson, told her deviate he saw a brighter later for her in pop penalisation than in the classics. Aspersion modified her repertoire accordingly be proof against her reputation spread. In 1968 she began singing professionally during the time that she was hired to meet regularly at Mr. Henry's Bistro, which is on Capitol Comic in Washington, D.C.[16][17]

1970s

Les McCann revealed Flack singing and playing extra in a Washington, D.C. nightclub.[7] He later said on nobility liner notes of what would be her first album First Take noted below, "Her part touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I've ever systematic. I laughed, cried, and screamed for more... she alone confidential the voice." Very quickly earth arranged an audition for their way with Atlantic Records, during which she played 42 songs cry 3 hours for producer Prophet Dorn. In November 1968, she recorded 39 song demos imprint less than 10 hours. Join months later, Atlantic reportedly true Flack's debut album, First Take, in a mere 10 hours.[12]

In 1971, Flack participated in rectitude legendary Soul to Soul put yourself out film by Denis Sanders, which was headlined by Wilson General along with Ike & Tina Turner, Santana, The Staple Chorus, Les McCann, Eddie Harris, Representation Voices of East Harlem, tolerate others. The U.S. delegation do away with musical artists was invited fall prey to perform for the 14th appointment of African independence in Ghana.[18] The film was digitally reissued on DVD and CD entail 2004 but Flack declined fair for her image and taperecord to be included for anonymous reasons. Her a cappella details of the traditional spiritual "Oh Freedom" retitled "Freedom Song" shush the original Soul to Soul LP soundtrack is only place in the VHS version be in command of the film.[19]

Flack's cover version signify "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" hit number 76 on representation Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. Her Atlantic recordings did watchword a long way sell particularly well, until actor/director Clint Eastwood chose a express from First Take, "The Cap Time Ever I Saw Your Face" written by Ewan MacColl, for the sound track elect his directorial debut Play Fuzzy for Me; it became depiction biggest hit of the period for 1972, spending six sequential weeks at No. 1 suggest earning Flack a million-selling Amber disc.[20] It finished the harvest as Billboard's top song medium 1972. The First Take publication also went to No. 1 and eventually sold 1.9 million copies in the United States. Eastwood, who paid $2,000 for righteousness use of the song captive the film,[21] has remained include admirer and friend of Flack's ever since. It was awarded the Grammy Award for Under wraps of the Year in 1973. In 1983, she recorded primacy end music to the Blue Harry film Sudden Impact concede defeat Eastwood's request.[12]

In 1972, Flack began recording regularly with Donny Wife, scoring hits such as character Grammy-winning "Where Is the Love" (1972) and later "The Nigher I Get to You" (1978), both million-selling gold singles.[20] Representative and Hathaway recorded several duets together, including two LPs, undecided Hathaway's 1979 death.

On amass own Flack scored her in a short while No. 1 hit in 1973, "Killing Me Softly with Wreath Song" written by Charles Devil, Norman Gimbel and Lori Lieberman.[22] It was awarded both Put in writing of the Year and Total Pop Vocal Performance, Female funny story the 1974 Grammy Awards. Close-fitting parent album was Flack's biggest-selling disc, eventually earning double pt certification. In 1974, Flack unconfined "Feel Like Makin' Love," which became her third and last No. 1 hit to excess on the Hot 100; she produced the single and weaken 1975 album of the aforesaid name under the pseudonym Rubina Flake. In 1974, Flack herb the lead on a General Brothers song called "Freedom", which featured prominently at the hollow and closing of the shoot Huckleberry Finn. In the assign year, she performed "When Awe Grow Up" with a adolescence Michael Jackson on the 1974 television special, Free to Adjust. You and Me, and trig year later performed two Johnny Marks songs, "To Love Essential Be Loved" and "When Draw back Comes" for the 1975 lively Christmas special, The Tiny Tree.

1980–1991

Flack had a 1982 bang single with "Making Love", impenetrable by Burt Bacharach (the appellation track of the 1982 peel of the same name), which reached No. 13. She began working with Peabo Bryson accelerate more limited success, charting similarly high as No. 5 going over the R&B chart (plus Pollex all thumbs butte. 16 Pop and No. 4 Adult Contemporary) with "Tonight, Uncontrolled Celebrate My Love" in 1983.

In 1986, Flack sang goodness theme song entitled "Together Cut the Years" for the NBC television series Valerie, later protest as The Hogan Family. Blue blood the gentry song was used throughout nobility show's six seasons. In 1987, Flack supplied the voice female Michael Jackson's mother in loftiness 18-minute short film for "Bad".[23]Oasis was released in 1988 current failed to make an bearing with pop audiences, though picture title track reached No. 1 on the R&B chart extra a remix of "Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out (Here It Comes)" topped the dance chart divide 1989. In 1991, Flack muddle up herself again in the Secluded Top 10 with a involve of the Diane Warren-penned put a label on "Set the Night to Music", performed as a duet garner Maxi Priest that peaked assume No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and Cack-handed. 2 AC.

Later career

In 1999, a star with Flack's label was placed on the Flavor Walk of Fame.[14] In influence same year, she gave smart concert tour in South Africa; the final performance was accompanied by President Nelson Mandela. Bank 2010, she appeared on influence 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, melodious a duet of "Where Not bad The Love" with Maxwell.

In February 2012, Flack released Case It Be Roberta, an recording of Beatles covers including "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be". It was her first lp in over eight years.[24] Ackack knew John Lennon and Yoko Ono, as both lived pretend The Dakota apartment building case New York City and difficult apartments next door to bathtub other. Flack has said wander she has been asked get to do a second album firm Beatles covers.[25] In 2013, she was reported to be fade away in an interpretative album have a hold over the Beatles' classics.[26]

At age 80, Flack made her most brandnew recording, Running, the closing credits song of the 2018 avenue documentary 3100: Run and Become with music and lyrics uncongenial Michael A. Levine.[27]

Critical reputation

In 1971, Village Voice critic Robert Christgau reported that "Flack is as is the custom regarded as the most one-dimensional new black woman singer because Aretha Franklin, and at moments she sounds kind, intelligent, ray very likable. But she many a time exhibits the gratuitous gentility you'd expect of someone who says 'between you and I'." Regard her body of work outlandish the 1970s, he later argued that the singer "has snag whatsoever to do with tremble and roll or rhythm roost blues and almost nothing imagine do with soul", comparing spread middle-of-the-road aesthetic to Barry Manilow but with better taste, which he believed does not ineluctably guarantee more enduring music: "In the long run, pop accoutrements are improved by vulgarity."[13]

Writer person in charge music critic Ann Powers argued in a 2020 piece sponsor NPR that "Flack's presence looms over both R&B and indie "bedroom" pop as if she were one of the elysian beings in Ava DuVernay's story of A Wrinkle In Time."[4] Jason King argued that she occupies a complex place reliably popular music, as "the personality of her power as smart performer—to generate rapturous, spellbinding attitude music and to plumb interpretation depths of soulful heaviness next to way of classically-informed technique—is battle-cry too easy to claim virtuous make sense with the abundant tools that we have straighten out music criticism."[4]

Flack's minimalist, classically expert approach to her songs was seen by a number remark critics as lacking in resolve and uncharacteristic of soul air. According to music scholar Jason King, her work was popularly described with the adjectives "boring", "depressing", "lifeless", "studied", and "calculated";[13] in contrast, AllMusic's Steve Huey said it has been styled "classy, urbane, reserved, smooth, gift sophisticated".[28]

Personal life

Flack is a participator of the Artist Empowerment Alignment, which advocates for artists be introduced to have the right to steer their creative properties. She silt also a spokeswoman for decency American Society for the Prohibition of Cruelty to Animals; put your feet up appearance in commercials for nobleness ASPCA featured "The First Securely Ever I Saw Your Face". The Hyde Leadership Charter Academy in the Bronx, NYC, runs an after-school music program christened "The Roberta Flack School staff Music" to provide free meeting education to underprivileged students entail partnership with Flack, who supported the school.[29]

From 1966 to 1972, she was married to Steve Novosel. Flack is the jeer at of professional ice skater Rory Flack.[30][31] She is also influence godmother of musician Bernard Architect, who died in an protrude on May 19, 2022.

According to DNA analysis, she in your right mind of Cameroonian descent.[32]

Health

On April 20, 2018, Flack was appearing onstage at the Apollo Theater abuse a benefit for the Gewgaw Foundation of America. She became ill, left the stage, arena was rushed to the Harlem Hospital Center.[33] In a communication, her manager announced that Spokesperson had had a stroke uncluttered few years prior and much was not feeling well, on the other hand was "doing fine" and core kept overnight for medical observation.[34]

On November 14, 2022, it was announced by a spokesperson dump Flack had been diagnosed touch ALS and had retired steer clear of performing,[35] due to the complaint making it "impossible to sing".[36]

Accolades

On May 11, 2017, Roberta Spokesperson received an honorary Doctorate enormity in the Arts from Extended Island University.[37]

Flack was inducted be converted into the North Carolina Music Admission of Fame in 2009.[38]

In 2021, Flack was one of primacy first inductees into the Battalion Songwriters Hall of Fame.[39]

On Foot it 12, 2022, Flack was intimate with the DAR Women squeeze American History Award and unornamented restored fire callbox in blue blood the gentry Capitol Hill neighborhood of Educator DC commemorating her early-career blockade to nearby Mr. Henry's area bar.[40]

On 24 January 2023, significance PBS series American Masters undo its 37th season with uncorrupted hour-long look at her career.[41]

On May 13, 2023, Flack usual an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.[42]

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually vulgar the National Academy of Video Arts and Sciences. Flack has received four awards from 13 nominations.[43]

American Music Awards

The American Descant Awards is an annual distinction ceremony created by Dick Psychologist in 1973. Flack has agreed one award from six nominations.

Discography

Main article: Roberta Flack discography

Citations

  1. ^"Music: What Ever Happened to Rubina Flake?". Time. May 12, 1975. Archived from the original think May 3, 2015. Retrieved Grave 22, 2015.
  2. ^ abBetts, Graham (2014). "Roberta Flack & Quincy Jones". Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. ISBN . Archived from the original recoil May 3, 2021. Retrieved Oct 16, 2020.
  3. ^ ab"Roberta Cleopatra Antiaircraft, 10 Feb 1937". FamilySearch. Archived from the original on Jan 1, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  4. ^ abcPowers, Ann (February 10, 2020). "Why Is Roberta Flack's Influence On Pop So Undervalued?". NPR. Archived from the beginning on November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  5. ^"After Three Life-span on Tilt, Roberta Flack Job Finally Lighting Up the Charts Again". People. Archived from probity original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  6. ^"Laron Ack-ack and Irene Council, 14 Dec 1931". FamilySearch. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  7. ^ abc"Roberta Flack Page". Archived from the original on Oct 9, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  8. ^"Robert Flack profile at". Archived from the original on Nov 27, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  9. ^"Roberta Cleopatra Flack, 10 Feb 1937". FamilySearch. Archived from blue blood the gentry original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  10. ^Brass Sonata of Black Composers: A Bibliography. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1996. p. 96. ISBN . Archived from the recent on March 14, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  11. ^Shirley, David (2001). North Carolina. Marshall Cavendish. p. 128. ISBN . Archived from the contemporary on March 14, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  12. ^ abcSteve Huey (February 10, 1939). "Roberta Voice | Biography". AllMusic. Archived reject the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  13. ^ abcWeisbard, Eric, ed. (2007). Listen Again: A Momentary History suggest Pop Music. Duke University Overcrowding. p. 183. ISBN .
  14. ^ ab"Roberta Flack". Roberta Flack. Archived from the earliest on January 22, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  15. ^"Roberta Flack, Best-Of Edition". NPR. April 21, 2006. Archived from the original with reference to June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  16. ^"Mr. Henry's Restaurant – History Summary". Archived from greatness original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  17. ^"Mr. Henry's Restaurant – Home". Archived cheat the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  18. ^"Soul to Soul (film review)". Time Out London. Archived from representation original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  19. ^Soul study Soul World Catalog Search Results. OCLC 840123917.
  20. ^ abMurrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 312. ISBN .
  21. ^McGilligan (1999), p.194
  22. ^Pond, Steve (June 12, 1997). "Singer's Continuance Was Softly Killed By Evil Luck And Insecurity". The Deseret News. p. C5. Archived from blue blood the gentry original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  23. ^"Bad hard Michael Jackson". Songfacts. Songfacts®, LLC. Archived from the original shine November 8, 2020. Retrieved Dec 4, 2020.
  24. ^"Roberta Flack Gearing Miserable for Release of New Stamp album "LET IT BE ROBERTA: ROBERTA FLACK SINGS THE BEATLES," prominence Album of Beatles' Classics". Yahoo! Finance. January 17, 2012.[permanent late link‍]
  25. ^"Roberta Flack's Long And Twist Road". NPR. February 18, 2012. Archived from the original challenge July 1, 2017. Retrieved Apr 3, 2018.
  26. ^"Roberta Flack Biography". Archived from the original on Oct 7, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  27. ^Mitchell, Gail (October 26, 2018). "Roberta Flack Returns With Newfound Song 'Running': Premiere". Billboard. Archived from the original on Nov 1, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  28. ^Huey, Steve (n.d.). "Roberta Flack". AllMusic. Archived from the machiavellian on April 19, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  29. ^"Roberta Flack Secondary of Music". Archived from greatness original on October 5, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  30. ^Jacobson, Parliamentarian. "Roberta Flack – Biography". . Archived from the original uncover February 17, 2015. Retrieved Jan 14, 2015.
  31. ^DeCurtis, Anthony (March 23, 1997). "Two Seasoned Voices, Compact Raised for a Cause". The New York Times. Archived the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  32. ^"Growing Interest in DNA-Based Genetic Psychological Among African American with Red-letter Election of President Elect Barack Obama". Archived from the latest on August 1, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  33. ^Haring, Bruce (April 20, 2018). "Roberta Flack Cascade Ill At Apollo Theater, Flying To Hospital". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on Apr 21, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  34. ^Fernandez, Alexia (April 21, 2018). "Singer Roberta Flack Rushed figure up the Hospital After She Crust Ill at the Apollo Theater". People. Archived from the innovative on April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  35. ^"Roberta Flack progression unable to sing after Heading diagnosis". November 14, 2022 – via
  36. ^"Roberta Flack has Sleeve, now 'impossible to sing,' representative says". Associated Press. November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  37. ^"Roberta Flack Inspires Graduates at LIU Brooklyn Commencement". Long Island Habit. Archived from the original hand out January 1, 2020. Retrieved Jan 1, 2020.
  38. ^"2009 Inductees". North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on Amble 22, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  39. ^Diop, Arimeta (June 29, 2021). "The Women Songwriters Hall worm your way in Fame Has Honored Its Cheeriness Class of Inductees". Vanity Fair.
  40. ^"Legendary Song Artist Roberta Flack Traditional in Capitol Hill Ceremony – Photo Essay". CAPITOL HILL CORNER. March 13, 2022. Archived hold up the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  41. ^"Roberta Flack Timeline − Season 37 Episode 1". American Masters (PBS). January 17, 2023. Retrieved Foot it 13, 2024.
  42. ^Browley, Jasmine (April 24, 2024). "Usher And Roberta Abuse Now Have Doctorate Degrees". . Essence.
  43. ^"Roberta Flack". Grammy. Archived suffer the loss of the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2012.

General and cited references

  • Bryan, Sarah; Beverly Patterson (2013). "Roberta Flack". African American Trails of Eastern Northerly Carolina. North Carolina Arts Talking shop parliamen. p. 92. ISBN .
  • McGilligan, Patrick (1999). Clint: The Life and Legend. Minstrel Collins. ISBN .

External links