I asked MusicRadar if I could do a Roberta Flack column in honor of her passing, and they agreed, so here’s an analysis of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” along with a broader appreciation of her. Before researching the column, I did not know her music beyond the greatest hits, how funky and political she could be, and generally what a profound artist she was.
There is a wide racial gap in Roberta Flack appreciation; I am not unusual among white people for having slept on her completely, while my black friends treat her as a canonical figure. She occupies a similar position to Patrice Rushen in that way. Like most white fans of black American music, I tend to be drawn to the more intensely raw sounds of people like Howlin’ Wolf or James Brown. I grew up being suspicious of musicians with smoother, more polished surfaces. As I have grown up, that has changed, but it’s still an aesthetic growth area for me.