"Killing Me Softly With His Song" hitmaker Roberta Flack delivered devastating news about her singing career.
Even in her 80s, Flack still wowed fans with her unmatched vocal skills. However, she recently disclosed that she would not be able to sing anymore.
Flack's representative, manager Suzanne Koga, confirmed her current status in a statement to Associated Press on Monday. The rep said the singer had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Upon the diagnosis, she reportedly found it hard to sing and speak again.
"Miss Flack plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits. Her fortitude and joyful embrace of music that lifted her from modest circumstances to the international spotlight remain vibrant and inspired," the statement went on, as quoted by NPR.
Koga did not confirm when exactly Flack was diagnosed with the fatal condition, but the manager clarified that the Grammy-winning singer aims to stay active in her musical and creative works through her foundation and other deals.
Instead of retiring, the representative divulged that it would take more than the health issue to silence Flack.
According to ALS Association, ALS - or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - affects the nerve cells in a person's brain and spinal cord. When the degeneration occurs, sclerosis or scarring happens in the area.
Some of its symptoms include cramping of muscles, weakness, dropping things, impaired use of arms and legs, tripping, slurred speech, and periods of uncontrollable emotions.
Before her ALS diagnosis, Variety revealed that Flack also suffered a stroke in 2016. Two years later, she fell ill during the Jazz Foundation of America's benefit event.
Fans Send Get Well Soon Messages to Roberta Flack
After learning about her diagnosis, her fans started showering her with prayers as they hope for her to survive the progressive illness. They also asked everyone to keep things private while supporting the singer and her family.
I've known about Roberta Flack's diagnosis for a while now, but that wasn't my information to make public. My prayers are with her and her family right now. Such a wonderful, kind person. Her catalog never gets discussed and dissected the way it should and deserves to be.
— Chris Williams (@iamchriswms) November 14, 2022
Sending love to Roberta Flack's family. ALS is terrible. https://t.co/OPXIIUEz7k
— Solidarity with Palestine #StopCopCity (@jaybeware) November 14, 2022
This is heartbreaking. I hope that she lives out the rest of her days with as much love and care as possible.
— Dayna Lynn Nuckolls (@PeoplesOracle) November 14, 2022
Roberta Flack was my very first music teacher. Not because I knew her personally, but because she was some of my very first experiences of music and musicianship. https://t.co/06dCrOuy4u
What a crushing email to get that Roberta Flack has ALS and it “has made it impossible to sing.” Very glad she has a children’s book, “The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music,” next year - and also this documentary, which looks amazing. https://t.co/j9oaRz5x8J
— Annie Zaleski (@anniezaleski) November 14, 2022
The news about Roberta Flack's health was released days before the premiere of a feature-length documentary, "Roberta." It is scheduled to be released at the DOCNYC film festival on Thursday.
Flack will also mark the 50th anniversary of her fourth album, "Killing Me Softly," next year. Aside from that milestone, she famously scored Grammy Awards in 1974 for the Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her hit song.
In 2020, the Recording Academy honored her with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
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