Roberta Flack Diagnosed With ALS, Making It “Impossible To Sing”

Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack revealed that she was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)— commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which has made it impossible to sing and restricted her speaking ability, according to her manager.

According to Variety, this announcement comes just before the premiere of “Roberta,” a feature-length documentary from filmmaker Antonino D’Ambrosio which is set to debut on Thursday at the DOCNYC film festival. It will play in competition at the festival before airing on television in January as part of PBS’ “American Masters” series in 2023.


The 85-year-old songstress who is mostly recognized for hits like “Killing Me Softly,” “The Closer I Get to You,” and “Where Is the Love,” plans to continue making moves in the entertainment industry.

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“It will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon,” her manager Suzanne Koga said in a statement to AP News. The Grammy-winning singer and pianist also “plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits,” through her eponymous foundation and other endeavors.

Next year will also mark a milestone for Flack, whose fourth album, “Killing Me Softly.”

In her career, Flack won many awards including 3 Grammys—two in 1974 for record of the year and best female pop vocal performance for “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” and she was honored by the Recording Academy in 2020 with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Flack previously suffered a stroke in 2016 and later fell ill while appearing at a benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America at the Apollo Theater in New York in 2018.

Sending love and light to Roberta Flack.