The late 1960s/early 1970's was an era of great musical diversity, but few musicians were as diverse or adept at interpreting contemporary songs as Roberta Flack. Her versatile body of work encompasses soul, R&B, jazz, folk and pop, but regardless of genres, Flack's voice penetrates straight to the heart and stirs emotions.
Flack's recording career began in 1968, but being classically trained and perceived as a serious artist made it difficult to achieve widespread commercial success. Flack's initial recordings were critically acclaimed, but did not sell particularly well. This all changed in 1971 when Clint Eastwood chose "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," a track from Flack's 1969 album, First Takes, for the soundtrack of his directorial debut, Play Misty For Me.
This was the turning point in her career as the song became a #1 hit the following year. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and her other intimate, folk- oriented 1973 hit, "Killing Me Softly With His Song" would cement her reputation, receiving a Grammy for Record Of The Year.