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*Grammy Award winner Roberta Flack appeared on the Lehman College stage located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West in the Bronx, on Saturday, October 21, 2006, at 8:00 pm, to a packed house where she and Tony Terry slew the hearts of her fans. Roberta definitely was killing them softly with her songs. Most people are well aware of the talented divas music, so it wasn’t the first time ever they saw her face or heard her beautiful and romantic assortment of love songs because Roberta Flack is one of the most recognizable voices of our generation.
Roberta sang the songs of Marvin Gaye and other artists. Songs like “Merci Merci Me,” “What’s Going On.” Bill Withers song “Aint No Sunshine,” the Beatles “Here Comes the Sun,” Sweet Georgia Brown,” “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” and her own “I Feel Like Making Love To You,” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” She orchestrated these pieces with a jazzy arrangement and even performed a few new songs from her upcoming CD; songs that were spiced up with a South African flavor.
“I am going straight to South Africa with some of my news songs. No detour” Claimed Roberta who talked about being inspired by Nelson Mandela. “I paid tribute to Nelson. I am so glad I have a creative mind. I met Mandela who spent 36 years in prison. In my mind, he comes out of prison and all of Africa comes together in one spot to greet him” said Roberta of her vivid dream world. “I see there is joy and there is sorrow. In my mind, I see the women move to their own rhythm. Their bodies the oasis, they are the medicine, the shelter from the sun. I think of this in the morning when I see the sun. Its part of my mental creation,” remarked the long time singer.
Born in Asheville, North Carolina, Ms. Flack grew up in Arlington, Virginia. As many African American artists do, she developed her musical chops in church. Learning to play the piano early, Roberta divided her attention between gospel, pop, soul, jazz, and blues. So musically talented and academically brilliant was Roberta, she skipped several grades. In fact, she was proficient enough to secure enrollment in Howard University at the age of 15 on a full music scholarship. Eventually Roberta changed her music major from voice (initially piano) to music education where at 19 she became a student teacher in an all white school in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Unfortunately, her father’s death prompted her to leave Chevy Chase.
Struggling for money, Flack took a $2,800.00 a year teaching job in Farmville, North Carolina where she taught impoverished children. She eventually left that school only to go to other schools where the children were poor and barely literate. It became frustrating for Roberta to try to teach English and Music to high school children that couldn’t even read. Roberta comforted herself by playing background to other artists and eventually singing on her own in various clubs. Eventually she was heard by Les McCann who got her an audition with Atlantic Records. Roberta never looked back.
Atlantic Records recognized Flack’s talent and put her in the studio where she recorded “First Take.” Her single “Compared to What,” followed next. A year later came “Do What You Gotta Do,” “Reverend Lee,” and “Just Like A Woman.”
By 1971, Roberta found herself collaborating with Donny Hathaway in “You Got A Friend.” She ended that year with her third album “Quiet Fire” which featured the song “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” She once again reunited with Hathaway to produce “Where Is The Love.” And in 1972, Clint Eastwood, chose her song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” for his movie “Play Misty For Me.” That year, Roberta was named Top Female Vocalist by Down Beat magazine.
Then the Grammy Awards came. She won for “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and “Where Is The Love.” Song after song topped the charts, turning gold. 1999 found Flack wining the coveted “Star” on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Roberta has performed before domestic and international audiences. She has worked and appeared with artists such as Donny Hathaway, Peabo Bryson, Miles Davis, Alicia Keys and India Arie, and many others.
A proponent of artist’ rights, Roberta is involved with the Artist Empowerment Coalition that advocates for the rights of artists to control their own creative properties. Roberta’s long and powerful musical odyssey has currently led her into the studio where she is hard at work putting the finishing touches on her most recent CD. “I have been working real hard on my upcoming CD. I have got together with some incredibly talented folks. I call it the real artist symposium” explained the singer/arranger/songwriter. “We did a new version of a song I did with Donny Hathoway. I worked on “Get Together Again,” “Soft and Gentle Rain”, and “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” There are a lot of things I am doing. I have been asked to work on a project featuring the music of John Lennon and Paul McCarthy. It’s the music most of my peers performed way back when. I was asked to do it and do it my way with my own arrangements. Yes, I am working hard and trying to nail it to the wall” said Roberta.
Ms. Flacks upcoming CD is expected to be released at the end of the year.
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