Latest news with #TheFirstTimeIEverSawYourFace
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Listen: Barbra Streisand recruits Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande for 'One Heart'
June 27 (UPI) -- Barbra Streisand has released a new song with fellow music superstars Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. Streisand, 83, recorded the track "One Heart, One Voice" with Carey, 56, and Grande, 32, for her duets album The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2, which debuted Friday. In "One Heart, One Voice," the trio of music artists celebrate the power of a woman's heart. "With love that guides the way / A hundred thousand heartbeats a day / A reason to rejoice / Together, with one heart, one voice," they sing. Streisand had nothing but praise for Carey and Grande in an interview with Variety, calling the pair "the hottest, biggest, most wonderful voices." Partners, Volume 2 also features collaborations with Hozier, Paul McCartney, Sam Smith, Bob Dylan, Laufey, Tim McGraw, Sting, Josh Groban and Seal. Streisand released "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" with Hozier in April and "My Valentine" with McCartney in May. "Recording this album with new and familiar friends was a joyful experience! I Chose the title, The Secret of Life, because I thought James Taylor's philosophical lyric was particularly inspiring," she wrote on Instagram, referencing Taylor's 1976 song of the same name. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Barbra Streisand (@barbrastreisand) In addition to her new music, Streisand released her autobiography My Name is Barbra in late 2023.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What was Roberta Flack's cause of death? What to know about her health history and ALS
Singer and pianist Roberta Flack, known for hits including 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' and 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,' has died at 88, her publicist confirmed Monday to NBC News. 'We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning February 24, 2025,' her manager, Suzanne Koga, and music journalist Mikel Gilmore, said in a statement. 'She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records,' they said. 'She was also a proud educator.' While she was unable to sing in her later years due to having ALS, a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, Flack remained creative in other ways. In 2023, she released an autobiographical children's book called "The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music." The book tells the story of how her father, Laron LeRoy, found a piano in a local junkyard for his daughter and painted it green. 'He and my mother hoped that the piano would inspire me. Both of them being musical people, they wanted to encourage me. They had been told that I had potential,' Flack said in an email interview with She added that she continued to find joy in music despite her physical limitations. 'Although I no longer play or sing, when I experience music — it's so much more than just 'listening' for me — I connect to my parents, my teaches, my fans, my peers. Everyone. Music is everything to me,' she said. Keep reading to learn more about Flack's cause of death, and what she revealed about her health issues over the years. What was Roberta Flack's cause of death? Flack died from cardiac arrest, according to her manager, the New York Times reported. Cardiac arrest is a common cause of death for people with ALS, research has shown. The singer first revealed her diagnosis with the condition, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2022., Flack's representatives did not specify whether there was a link between her ALS diagnosis and her cause of death from cardiac arrest. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a neurodegenerative disease, according to the ALS Association. It is sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease in honor of the New York Yankees player, who died from the condition at age 37 in 1941. ALS affects motor neurons, or the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movements. As these motor neurons degenerate, people may lose muscle control and the ability to 'speak, eat, move and breathe,' according to the ALS Association. The senses of sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell are not affected. Over time, the muscles atrophy, or waste away, and grow progressively weaker. Nine out of 10 ALS cases occur in people with no family history of the disease, while the remainder of cases are genetically inherited, and are known as familial ALS. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 70, although ALS can occur in younger people, according to the ALS Association. ALS usually has a gradual onset, and different people may experience different symptoms. 'One person may have trouble grasping a pen or lifting a coffee cup, while another may experience a change in vocal pitch when speaking,' the ALS Association says on its website. Early symptoms may also include tripping, dropping things, slurred speech and 'uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying.' There is no cure for ALS, although there are drugs that help people manage ALS symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. A representative for Flack revealed that the singer had ALS in 2022, although it is unknown how long Flack had the disease before sharing her diagnosis. Her manager, Suzanne Koga, said in a release at the time that the progression of the disease had 'made it impossible' for Flack to sing, and 'not easy' for her to speak, according to the Associated Press. 'But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon,' she added. Problems with speech can be a symptom of ALS, when the disease attacks nerve cells that send messages to the muscles that control the lips, tongue, the roof of the mouth, and vocal folds, or voice box, according to the ALS Association. Flack previously had a stroke in 2016, which led to a brief hospitalization, the Associated Press reported. Some research has shown that ALS patients are at an increased risk of stroke. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Remembering Roberta Flack: 8 timeless hits to salute an unrivaled talent
NEW YORK (AP) — In an era where popular music is fluid, it is easy to forget the listening world was not always so open. Unless, of course, Roberta Flack's career is closely examined. Flack, whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She leaves behind a rich repertoire of music that avoids categorization. Her debut, 'First Take,' wove soul, jazz, flamenco, gospel and folk into one revelatory package, prescient in its form and measured in its approach. Flack will likely be remembered for her classics — 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face' and "Killing Me Softly with His Song' among them. As she should be. But her talents extend well beyond the familiar titles. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Read on and then listen to all of the tracks on our Spotify playlist, here. 1969: 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye' Picking one standout from 'First Take' is a fool's errand, but listeners would be wise to spend time with Flack's cover of the Leonard Cohen classic 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye,' a strong case for a reimagination eclipsing the original. Her voice transforms Cohen's lament. It's almost impossible to believe this song, let alone the entire record, was recorded over a period of just 10 hours at Atlantic Studios in New York in February 1969. But it was. 1969: 'Angelitos Negros' Also from 'First Take" is 'Angelitos Negros," performed entirely in Spanish by Flack. It's a song based on a poem by the Venezuelan writer Andrés Eloy Blanco titled 'Píntame Angelitos Negros," with a title lifted from the 1948 Mexican film of the same name. The movie navigates interracial relationships when a white couple gives birth to a dark-skinned child. Beyond Flack's soaring vocal performance — delivered atop a robust string section and nylon-string guitars — the song serves as an anthem against racial discrimination and a stunning example of the singer's cross-boundary approach to music making. 1972: 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' As the well-documented lore suggests, Roberta Flack's mainstream success story begins when her dreamy cover of 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," written by English folk artist Ewan MacColl for his wife Peggy Seeger, was used in a love scene between Clint Eastwood and Donna Mills in his 1971 film 'Play Misty for Me." It quickly topped the Billboard pop chart in 1972 and received a Grammy for record of the year. But her relationship with the song, and her singular ability to bring it to such great heights, was almost kismet. Before recording the ballad, she had real familiarity with it, having taught it while working with a glee club during her years as an educator. 1973: 'Killing Me Softly with His Song" It is Flack's best-known hit and one of the great love songs of the 20th Century. Flack first heard Lori Lieberman's 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' while on a plane and immediately fell in love with it. While on tour with Quincy Jones, she covered the song, and the audience feel in love with it, too, as they'd continue to for decades. Her voice is otherworldly in her recording — pinpointing a kind of neo-soul R&B that would dominate for years to come — and she was recognized for it. Flack became the first artist to win consecutive Grammys for best record with this one. The song would win again in the '90s, when hip-hop trio the Fugees' would offer their masterful take on Flack's cover and introduce much of the world to singer Lauryn Hill's gift. 1975: 'Feel Like Makin' Love' A standard for R&B and jazz musicians alike — no doubt due to the grandeur of Flack's version — 'Feel Like Makin' Love' is her third career No. 1. It's a mediative seduction, Flack embodying each lyrical vignette in her delivery. 'Strollin' in the park / Watchin' winter turn to spring,' she opens the song, 'Walkin' in the dark / Seein' lovers do their thing.' 1978: 'The Closer I Get to You' A soulful collaboration with her close friend Donny Hathaway, 'The Closer I Get to You," is a reflective romance, both big-voiced and bigger-hearted singers lifting each other up. But despite its splendor, the song's legacy is marred in tragedy: In 1979, Flack and Hathaway started work on an album of duets when he suffered a breakdown during recording and fell to his death from his hotel room in Manhattan. 1983: "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" The '80s brought soft rock detouring for Flack, another experimentation for the innovative performer. 'Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," a duet with the R&B balladeer Peabo Bryson, is at the intersection of a few genres and simultaneously timeless — a feat for a song anchored in shimmery, synthetized production. 1991: 'Set the Night to Music' In her later career, Flack continued to meet the current moment. A great example is 'Set the Night to Music,' a glossy pop song with English singer Maxi Priest. It was released on her 1991 album of the same name, which also features a then-contemporary cover of Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics' 1970s R&B hit 'You Make Me Feel Brand New."
Associated Press
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Remembering Roberta Flack: 8 timeless hits to salute an unrivaled talent
NEW YORK (AP) — In an era where popular music is fluid, it is easy to forget the listening world was not always so open. Unless, of course, Roberta Flack's career is closely examined. Flack, whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She leaves behind a rich repertoire of music that avoids categorization. Her debut, 'First Take,' wove soul, jazz, flamenco, gospel and folk into one revelatory package, prescient in its form and measured in its approach. Flack will likely be remembered for her classics — 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face' and 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' among them. As she should be. But her talents extend well beyond the familiar titles. Read on and then listen to all of the tracks on our Spotify playlist, here. 1969: 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye' Picking one standout from 'First Take' is a fool's errand, but listeners would be wise to spend time with Flack's cover of the Leonard Cohen classic 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye,' a strong case for a reimagination eclipsing the original. Her voice transforms Cohen's lament. It's almost impossible to believe this song, let alone the entire record, was recorded over a period of just 10 hours at Atlantic Studios in New York in February 1969. But it was. 1969: 'Angelitos Negros' Also from 'First Take' is 'Angelitos Negros,' performed entirely in Spanish by Flack. It's a song based on a poem by the Venezuelan writer Andrés Eloy Blanco titled 'Píntame Angelitos Negros,' with a title lifted from the 1948 Mexican film of the same name. The movie navigates interracial relationships when a white couple gives birth to a dark-skinned child. Beyond Flack's soaring vocal performance — delivered atop a robust string section and nylon-string guitars — the song serves as an anthem against racial discrimination and a stunning example of the singer's cross-boundary approach to music making. 1972: 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' As the well-documented lore suggests, Roberta Flack's mainstream success story begins when her dreamy cover of 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,' written by English folk artist Ewan MacColl for his wife Peggy Seeger, was used in a love scene between Clint Eastwood and Donna Mills in his 1971 film 'Play Misty for Me.' It quickly topped the Billboard pop chart in 1972 and received a Grammy for record of the year. But her relationship with the song, and her singular ability to bring it to such great heights, was almost kismet. Before recording the ballad, she had real familiarity with it, having taught it while working with a glee club during her years as an educator. 1973: 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' It is Flack's best-known hit and one of the great love songs of the 20th Century. Flack first heard Lori Lieberman's 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' while on a plane and immediately fell in love with it. While on tour with Quincy Jones, she covered the song, and the audience feel in love with it, too, as they'd continue to for decades. Her voice is otherworldly in her recording — pinpointing a kind of neo-soul R&B that would dominate for years to come — and she was recognized for it. Flack became the first artist to win consecutive Grammys for best record with this one. The song would win again in the '90s, when hip-hop trio the Fugees' would offer their masterful take on Flack's cover and introduce much of the world to singer Lauryn Hill's gift. 1975: 'Feel Like Makin' Love' A standard for R&B and jazz musicians alike — no doubt due to the grandeur of Flack's version — 'Feel Like Makin' Love' is her third career No. 1. It's a mediative seduction, Flack embodying each lyrical vignette in her delivery. 'Strollin' in the park / Watchin' winter turn to spring,' she opens the song, 'Walkin' in the dark / Seein' lovers do their thing.' 1978: 'The Closer I Get to You' A soulful collaboration with her close friend Donny Hathaway, 'The Closer I Get to You,' is a reflective romance, both big-voiced and bigger-hearted singers lifting each other up. But despite its splendor, the song's legacy is marred in tragedy: In 1979, Flack and Hathaway started work on an album of duets when he suffered a breakdown during recording and fell to his death from his hotel room in Manhattan. , is at the intersection of a few genres and simultaneously timeless — a feat for a song anchored in shimmery, synthetized production. In her later career, Flack continued to meet the current moment. A great example is 'Set the Night to Music,' a glossy pop song with English singer Maxi Priest. It was released on her 1991 album of the same name, which also features a then-contemporary cover of Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics' 1970s R&B hit 'You Make Me Feel Brand New.'
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Singer Roberta Flack dies at 88
Singer Roberta Flack has passed away. She was 88 years old. The Grammy-award winner was known for hits like 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,' 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' and 'Feel Like Makin' Love.' Flack died at home 'surrounded by her family,' her publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement to the Associated Press. 'We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025,' her rep said in a statement obtained by Variety. 'She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.' The classically trained singer and pianist rose to fame after Clint Eastwood used her song 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face' in the 1971 film 'Play Misty for Me.' In 2022, Flack retired from singing after revealing she had ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and could no longer sing. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
