At her peak, in 1973 and 74, she became the only artist ever to win the song of the year Grammy twice in a row, first for The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, next with Killing Me Softly with His Song.
More, it culminated in a song, All the Sad Young Men, that offered one of the most shattering depictions of pre-Stonewall gay life ever recorded.įlack’s records sold in massive numbers between the early 70s and the early 80s, a stretch in which she amassed six gold albums, one platinum and one double-platinum work.
Not only did it break with common genre boundaries, it challenged racial stereotypes, presenting a very different, and highly personal, definition of soul. Last year marked half a century since Flack introduced that style to the world on her debut album, First Take, which offered a daring contrast to the conventional pop, soul or jazz releases of its day.