Roberta Flack has been diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a representative for the 85-year-old soul legend announced on November 14. The progressive neurodegenerative disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, has “made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak,†the rep, Elaine Schock, said in a press release. “But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon.†Although the disease has hampered Flack’s ability to physically use her voice, she “plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits†through her eponymous foundation and educational initiatives. The veteran singer last performed at Lincoln Center in July 2017, a year after she suffered a stroke. “Her fortitude and joyful embrace of music that lifted her from modest circumstances to the international spotlight remain vibrant and inspired,†the press release said.
The health announcement comes ahead of the premiere of Roberta, a feature-length documentary about the star’s life, which debuts November 17 at the DOCNYC Film Festival. Flack also plans to publish The Green Piano: How Litle Me Found Music, a children’s book co-written with Tonya Bolden, in January. The book release will coincide with a 50th-anniversary reissue of Flack’s celebrated album Killing Me Softly and the television premiere of Roberta as part of the PBS American Masters series.