Happy Birthday to Roberta Flack, who turns 76 on today (February 10th). Flack is best known for her string of '70s and '80s hits including "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" with Peabo Bryson, and the legendary duets "Where Is The Love" and "The Closer I Get To You" with Donny Hathaway. Flack has scored three Number One hits over the course of her career: "Killing Me Softly With His Song," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and "Feel Like Makin' Love." Last year, Flack released her latest album, Let It Be Roberta - Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles.

 

She says that she's always taken pride in the fact that her music has been inspiring romance for decades: "So many of my songs are associated with loving moments for people. I had a woman walk up to me one day and say after a show, 'Miss Flack, I love you and I love 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.' When I heard that song I was in college and I looked across the cafeteria and saw my husband, I married him and we had two beautiful children.'"

 

Flack says that due to the fact that musical fads come and go, and artist really needs to not only truly believe in the music -- yet never forget that it is indeed still a business: "You have to do what you believe in and if you don't you fail! I'm sorry, but that's really that the way I feel. Especially in this business. Now maybe creatively and artistically you can be as satisfied as you can -- but when those mugs are sittin' in the record store and nobody knows that they're there, it doesn't feel too good." 

 

February 14 - Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (with The Oregon Symphony) 

February 15 - Tacoma, WA - Pantages Theater, Broadway Center for the Arts

February 16 - Santa Barbara, CA - Grenada Theater 

March 2 - Wallingford, CT - Toyota Presents The Oakdale Theatre

April 28 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live Arena

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