Roberta Flack’s Lehman Concert

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.

(Roberta—Killing Us Softly, with her song…)

Grammy Award winner Roberta Flack will be appearing on the Lehman College stage located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West in the Bronx, on Saturday, October 21, 2006, at 8:00 pm, where she will slay the hearts of her fans by killing them softly with her songs.

Most people are well aware of the talented divas music, so it won’t be 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.

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 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.�

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 Love,� “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. 

Tickets are presently on sale at the Lehman College Performing Arts Center box office for $30.00, $35.00, $40.00, and $45.00.  Fans can call 718-960-8833 (Monday –Friday, 10AM – 5PM).  Hurry!  Tickets are going fast for Ms. Flack’s upcoming show on Saturday, October 21st at 8:00 p.m.

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