Grammy Winner To Perform & Speak In Celebration Of Black History Month

WASHINGTON — On Friday, February 17, at 7 pm, Grammy Award winning vocalist and producer Roberta Flack will offer a lecture and musical performance as part of The Gunnery’s Speaker Series.

The special event will take place in The Meeting House of First Congregational Church of Washington, on the green, 6 Kirby Road.

The public is invited to the presentation and admission is free. Seating is open, but limited, and will come on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Current Gunnery student Lindsay Jerry-Collins (’12) suggested that bringing Ms. Flack to visit the campus as the school celebrates Black History Month. Lindsay’s parents, Dennis Collins and Sharon Jerry-Collins, are jazz musicians and close friends of Ms Flack.

“Ms Flack will speak to us about her unique experiences as a young, black woman,” said Jennifer Wojcik, director of The Gunnery Speaker Series. “Because of her scholastic excellence and dedication to her craft, she was able to receive an incredible educational experience. From that experience and her exceptional talents, she developed and maintained an unparalleled career in music. We are honored to welcome this legend to our campus.”

According to her official biography, Roberta Flack received a music scholarship at age 15 to attend Howard University. There, she conducted her sorority’s vocal quartet, accompanied pop, jazz, and opera singers, and assisted as the school’s choir conductor. She majored in music education and taught in schools in Chevy Chase, Md., Farmville, N.C., and Washington, D.C.

While in DC, she began performing at local venues such as the Tivoli Club, the 1520 Club, and Mr Henry’s. She was discovered by jazz musician Les McCann, at the latter and was immediately signed to Atlantic Records.  She had a string of hits including “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Where is the Love,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” and “Set the Night to Music” (with Maxi Priest), among many others. 

Ms Flack has toured nationally and internationally including tour dates in South Arica, Turkey, Argentina, Australia, and Japan. She received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1999.

On February 7, 2012, Ms Flack released Let it Be Roberta – Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles. On this 13-track CD, she offers creative interpretations of several Beatles standards including “Hey Jude,” “Let it Be,” “Come Together” and “In My Life. “

Ms Flack, also a humanitarian and mentor, founded the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx. She is also a participant in the Artist Empowerment Coalition (AEC), whose primary goal is advocacy for artists’ rights and control of their creative properties.   

For more information, contact Jennifer Wojcik at wojcikj@gunnery.org.