Roberta Flack announces she has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and can no longer sing

Roberta Flack She says she has ALS… and unfortunately, she says that means she won’t perform her classic songs anymore.

The announcement came on Monday through the Grammy-winning singer’s representative, who explained that Roberta finds it difficult to speak these days due to her condition. There is no information on how long she has had ALS…often known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (AMS) breaks down a person’s nerves over time and causes their function to deteriorate significantly, especially with regard to muscle use. It has been proven fatal, and there is no known cure for it.

It seems like the reason this news is coming out now is because Roberta has a few high-profile projects on the horizon that would normally require her to give interviews… including the release of a children’s book in January, and a concurrent PBS document about it.

In addition, she has achieved a major milestone in her career – next year marks the 50th anniversary of her album “Killing Me Softly”… which features the eponymous song that is perhaps her most famous.

Lauren HillThe special edition is a direct tribute to Flack’s delivery.