Roberta Flack Announces She Has ALS, Can No Longer Sing

Roberta Flack says she has ALS … and, sadly, she says that means she won’t be performing her classic hits anymore.

The announcement was made Monday by the Grammy-winning singer’s representative, who explained that Roberta has difficulty speaking due to her condition. There is no word on how long she has been suffering from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

ALS causes nerve damage and a significant decline in functionality, particularly when it comes to muscle use. It is fatal and there is no cure.

It appears that Roberta has some notable projects on the horizon, which might normally require her doing interviews… including the release in January of a children’s book and simultaneous PBS docs about her.

Plus, she’s coming up on a big milestone in her career — next year marks the 50th anniversary of her album, “Killing Me Softly” … featuring the eponymous title song which is perhaps her most famous hit.

Lauryn Hill‘s version is a direct homage to Flack’s rendition.

Although 85-year-old Roberta will no longer be performing, her team says she’ll continue to pursue musical/creative efforts through her foundation and other avenues.