What Was Roberta Flack's Net Worth When She Died?

American soul and R&B legend Roberta Flack was 88 years old when she died. The news came via a statement released by her spokesperson. "We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025," it said (per The Guardian). "She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator."

Flack, whose career began in the 1960s, became one of the biggest names in show business in the early 1970s. Notably, two back-to-back Grammy successes guaranteed that she would go down in history as a unique vocal talent. She won the Grammy for record of the year in 1972 for her exquisite version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which had become incredibly popular after featuring in actor-director Clint Eastwood's 1971 movie "Play Misty for Me." The following year, she received the same award for "Killing Me Softly with His Song," which became her signature. She remained an icon thereafter, recording and performing consistently until 2018, when she suffered a stroke and reduced her public appearances. Over the course of her career, it is believed she amassed a fortune in the region of $20 million.

Roberta Flack wasn't just critically lauded — she was a record-selling juggernaut who enjoyed a following made up of millions of devoted fans. Both "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly" hit the No. 1 spot on the American singles chart, staying there for six and five weeks respectively (the latter was also a No. 1 smash for The Fugees in 1996). The success of "The First Time" thanks to "Play Misty for Me" renewed commercial interest in Flack's early recordings — the song had first appeared on her debut studio album, "First Take," in 1969. This ultimately laid the groundwork for yet another No. 1 single, "Feel Like Makin' Love," in 1974. She continued releasing albums into the 1990s and was a popular concert draw on both sides of the Atlantic until her retirement. 

Flack's success allowed her to live a life of luxury. In the 1970s, she purchased a dazzling nine-room apartment in New York City, overlooking Central Park. The apartment was in the Dakota Building, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono were her neighbors until Lennon's tragic murder in the street outside the building. Flack remained resident in the apartment until 2018, when she sold it for $5.8 million.