Celine Dion honors Roberta Flack with touching tribute following her death
Roberta Flack’s final Instagram post before death was a sweet tribute to Celine Dion
Celine Dion has paid an emotional tribute to music legend Roberta Flack following her death on Monday at the age of 88.
On Tuesday, Dion took to her Instagram account on Tuesday to mourn the loss of Flack, who passed away “surrounded by her family” after suffering a heart attack, as per her publicist.
“With a heavy heart we have to say goodbye to Roberta Flack. She was a legend, with a voice that could soothe and stir all at once…Her music wasn’t just heard—it was FELT,” the All By Myself singer wrote alongside a video of her 1999’s performance of Flack’s song The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.
Dion continued, With timeless songs like Killing Me Softly With His Song and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face she gifted us music that has shaped generations.
“Singing The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was such an incredible honor, stepping into the world Roberta created with such grace and beauty. Thank you for sharing your remarkable gift with us. – Celine xx,” she added.
Moreover, Roberta Flack’s final Instagram post before she died was a sweet tribute to Celine Dion.
Celine Dion pays tribute to Roberta Flack whose music ‘shaped generations’
The US singer was known for songs including Killing Me Softly With His Song and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.
Celine Dion has remembered Roberta Flack as a “legend” whose music “shaped generations” following her death at the age of 88.
A host of other celebrities including US chat show host Oprah Winfrey and singer Yoko Ono have paid tribute to the soul star who died on Monday “surrounded by her family”, her publicist said.
In 2022 it was announced the singer had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological condition that made it “impossible” for her to sing, according to a representative at the time.
Canadian pop star Dion, 56, said in a post to social media on Tuesday: “With a heavy heart we have to say goodbye to Roberta Flack.
“She was a legend, with a voice that could soothe and stir all at once… Her music wasn’t just heard—it was FELT.
“With timeless songs like ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’, and ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ she gifted us music that has shaped generations.”
Dion said that singing the latter “was such an incredible honour” and added: “Stepping into the world Roberta created with such grace and beauty. Thank you for sharing your remarkable gift with us.”
Ono, 92, who was a neighbour of Flack’s when she lived in New York City’s Dakota Building with John Lennon, posted a photo of the three of them with David Bowie and wrote: “Roberta Flack Rest In Peace.”
Winfrey, 71, shared a video of her welcoming the singer on to her chat show to sing hits including Killing Me Softly With His Song, written by Lori Lieberman and Norman Gimbel and composed by Charles Fox.
US songwriter Lieberman told the PA news agency that Flack “exposed this song to the world with her artistry, her talent, her innovation and her heart”.
