music_note LyroVerse Lyrics, artists, photos, and community curation.
search
menu_bookGuides forumCommunity leaderboard lyricsSubmit lyrics artistSuggest artist login person_add
Live listeners 14
search
Roberta Flack
Artist profile

Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack was a singer and pianist who became known in the early 1970s for her quiet, deliberate vocal style. She studied classical music and jazz at...

album55 lyric pages photo_library15 photos groups14 listeners here now Editor's note live
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Start here

The pages that open this catalog up fastest

These picks surface the stronger lyric pages first instead of dropping you into one endless list.

All I Want is You Video on page · 1 visits arrow_forward And So It Goes Video on page · 1 visits arrow_forward Angelitos Negros Video on page · 1 visits arrow_forward Ballad Of The Sad Young Men 1 visits arrow_forward Business Goes On As Usual 1 visits arrow_forward Compared To What Video on page · 1 visits arrow_forward
Editor's note

Roberta Flack's quiet, deliberate soul

A singer and pianist whose slow, intimate ballads defined 1970s soft soul.

For her approach, listen to 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.' For her later work, 'Tonight I Celebrate My Love' with Peabo Bryson holds up.

She turned quiet into a statement. Songs like 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' and 'Tonight I Celebrate My Love' moved at their own pace, emphasizing phrasing and emotional delivery over vocal power. That commitment to interpretation, even when it drew criticism like her slow Super Bowl national anthem, made her voice unmistakable.

She studied classical and jazz at Howard University, then started in D.C. clubs in the late 1960s. Her early 1970s hits established a style of slow ballads, and she kept working in that soul and soft rock vein through the 1980s with duets and albums.

edit_note Ethan Walker · LyroVerse team · Apr 20
verified

LyroVerse editor's notes are short interpretation guides, not final verdicts. If something needs a correction, visit About or Contact.

Artist at a glance

The fast read

55 lyric pages live 15 photos available Editor's note live Video on page
Photos

Visual archive

Real photos only. No placeholder gallery promo.

Open gallery
Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack Roberta Flack
Background notes

Archive material and source history

Roberta Flack was a singer and pianist who became known in the early 1970s for her quiet, deliberate vocal style. She studied classical music and jazz at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and began performing in local clubs in the late 1960s.

That song, along with 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' and 'The Closer I Get To You,' established her approach: slow, intimate ballads that emphasized phrasing and emotional delivery over vocal power. She worked primarily in a soul and soft rock vein throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, recording duets like 'Tonight I Celebrate My Love' with Peabo Bryson.

Her 1979 performance of the national anthem at the Super Bowl was criticized as too slow, but she didn't apologize for it. The incident reflected her commitment to her own pacing and interpretation, qualities that defined her recordings.

Quick answers

What this artist page can answer fast

Where should I start with Roberta Flack on LyroVerse?

The Start here section opens with All I Want is You, And So It Goes, and Angelitos Negros so you can move through the artist's stronger lyric pages first.

How many lyric pages are live for Roberta Flack?

LyroVerse currently has 55 visible lyric pages for Roberta Flack.

Does Roberta Flack have photos on LyroVerse?

Yes. There are 15 photos available, and the preview gallery on this page links to the full photos section.

Does LyroVerse have an editor's note for Roberta Flack?

Yes. The editor's note on this page is a short LyroVerse team guide, not a final verdict on the artist.

Artist Community

Not just lyrics. The conversation around them.

Follow the artist, compare interpretations across songs, and leave corrections that help the catalog stay sharp.

Open artist hub
0 followers Artist hub stays noindex until the conversations are proven strong
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Share a short memory or first impression

Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.

Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.

Sign in person_add

No listener comments on Roberta Flack yet.