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Born on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, is Roberta Cleopatra Flack, who is best known as an American singer that still continues to perform since her 1968 debut on the music scene. Her discography shows Flack as the first artist to win two consecutive Grammy Awards in a row for Record of the Year with 1973’s “First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” and 1974’s “Killing Me Softly with His Song”. Before becoming one of America’s top female performers of all time, Roberta Flack taught for junior high schools, as well as a home-based piano teacher. On the side, she’d perform as a singer at various jazz clubs where she was first discovered. Since her humble beginnings, Roberta Flack has produced twenty studio albums, two live albums, a movie soundtrack, five compilation albums, and forty eight singles.
Top 10 Songs from Roberta Flack
# 10 – You’ve Got A Friend
Recorded as a duet with Donny Hathaway in 1971 on the album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, the song “You Got A Friend,” was originally written by Carole King and released on her 1971 album Tapestry. While the duet version from Flack and Hathaway didn’t perform as well as Carole King’s, it still did well enough to chart.
# 9 – Set the Night to Music
Performed as a duet with Maxi Priest in 1991, it was a cover song to Starship’s original 1987 performance. It became a major hit for Roberta Flack. Coming from the album of the same name, “Set the Night to Music,” earned a 6th place spot with the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number nine in Canada.
# 8 – Making Love
This piece was written as a theme song for the 1982 film of the same name and performed by Roberta Flack. It was also introduced as a single on her album I’m the One. “Making Love,” saw Roberta Flack return as a soloist to the top 20 rankings within the music charts for the first time since 1974 as it reached number seven on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary, as well as number thirteen with the US Billboard Hot 100.
# 7 – If I Ever See You Again
From her 1978 self-titled album, the single “If I Ever See You Again” was written for the film of the same name. The song was composed by Joseph “Joe” Brooks, who also directed and starred in the film with co-star Shelley Hack. On the movie soundtrack, the song is performed by Jamie Carr. “If I Ever See You Again” hit number twenty four on the US Billboard Hot 100.
# 6 – The Closer I Get To You
Coming from the 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement is a romantic duet with Donny Hathaway “The Closer I Get To You,” which reaches the top of the charts with US Billboard’s R&B and Canada’s RPM. In addition to achieving RIAA’s Gold Certification, it also proved to be her most commercially successful hit since 1973’s “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” Flack originally performed this single as a solo, but her manager, David Franklin, suggested Donny Hathaway help her perform it as a duet instead.
# 5 – Tonight, I Celebrate My Love
Performed as a duet with Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack’s 1983 lead single from her album “Born to Love” became a million-selling international hit. This song earned Music Canada’s Gold Certification and British Phonographic Industry’s (BPI) Silver Certification. This was one of the most popular duets of the 1980s and was a big time wedding song for millions of brides and grooms.
# 4 – Where Is the Love
Recorded and released in 1972 with Donny Hathaway, “Where Is the Love” won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, as well as RIAA’s Gold Certification. It comes from Roberta Flack’s record simply titled “Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway) and it was originally written by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter.
# 3 – Killing Me Softly with His Song
The lyric behind this ballad was a collaborative inspiration written by singer-songwriter Lori Lieberman (and Norman Gimbel) after a 1971 Don MacLean performance. Lieberman’s release of the song did not chart. But in 1973, Roberta Flack’s version hit #1 in the USA, Canada, and Australia. It also garnered her a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. In 2021, the revised list of the Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs of All Time saw Roberta Flack’s version, as well as the 1997 Fugees version, For Flack, Killing me Softly with His Song, was certified Gold by RIAA as a single while it’s album achieved double Platinum with RIAA and a Gold Certification with Music Canada.
# 2 – Feel Like Makin’ Love
Composed by singer-songwriter Eugene McDaniels, Roberta Flack’s original 1974 performance of the hit single “Feel Like Makin’ Love” has since been covered by a multitude of music artists from various genres. This song was released nine months before the album of the same name came out and ranked at the very top spot among most of the more elite music charts, including US Billboard Hot 100, US Billboard Easy Listening, US Billboard Hot Soul Singles, and with RPM Canada’s Top Singles chart and Adult Contemporary chart. This song also earned three different Grammy Award nominations. Despite not actually bringing home a trophy, seeing Feel Like Makin’ Love achieve RIAA’s Gold Certification and BPI’s Silver Certification is reward enough.
# 1 – The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
When the name of Roberta Flack comes up, this single comes up the most often among music fans who’ve followed her career since the start, as well as among the fans who haven’t followed her music career quite as closely. Released in 1969 with the record “First Take”, this song became hugely popular as it peaked at #1 among many music charts within Canada and the US. “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,” catapulted Roberta Flack’s career into superstardom, despite the fact this song had been previously written in 1957 by Scottish-born Ewan MacColl and performed as a folk music piece by many singers worldwide. Flack’s version of it, replaced the folk with a more sensual version. This proved to not only be her breakout hit, but earned her two Grammy Awards in 1972 for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It also achieved RIAA’s Gold Certification and BPI’s Silver Certification.
Top 10 Roberta Flack Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
