Who was Roberta Flack married to? Personal life explored as 'Killing Me Softly' singer dies aged 88

Singer Roberta Flack died at the age of 88 after suffering a cardiac arrest on Monday, February 24, 2025. The artist was being taken to the hospital when she passed away, as revealed to The New York Times by her manager, Suzanne Koga. Flack's representative also paid tribute to her by saying:

"Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator."

Although Roberta did not have any children, she was married to musician Steve Novosel for six years. After the news of Roberta Flack's death went viral, popular personalities expressed their grief, including singer Stephanie Mills. In a Facebook post describing Flack as a "friend" and recalling her memories with the latter, Mills wrote:

"For those of us who knew her, she was more than a legend in our industry she was real, soft spoken, laid-back, and kind to me…she said 'Love is a song', and I believe that. I remember going to church with Ms. Flack and during that service we washed each other's feet."

Among other tributes, Shakila Stevenson said on the same platform that she was a child when she first met Flack through her father.

Despite having a successful career, Roberta Flack additionally struggled with health problems, including being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2022. Roberta previously had a stroke and was once hospitalized when she became ill during an event.

Roberta had the opportunity to work with record labels like Atlantic and Sony, and her voice received praise from different publications. According to The Root, Flack's parents, Laron and Irene, were also associated with the musical world, and she was a piano expert.

Roberta's fifth album, Killing Me Softly, grabbed the second spot on the Billboard chart. She also collaborated with Donny Hathaway for the 1972 duet album Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. Her final album, Let It Be Roberta, was released in 2012. She also released many other albums, such as First Take, Quiet Fire, Born to Love, and Oasis.

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Roberta Flack's personal life: Marriage to Steve Novosel explained

The Grammy Award winner managed to accumulate a huge fanbase over the years with her music skills. As mentioned, she did not have any children despite her marriage to Steve Novosel back in 1966. Steve has been active as a bassist, performing with artists such as Stanley Cowell and Betty Carter.

Although detailed information on the duo's relationship remains unknown, Roberta Flack's brother and other family members were reportedly against their marriage, as per AmoMama. While they divorced in 1972, the pair allegedly separated the previous year.

In 2020, in an interview for Closer Weekly, Roberta Flack was questioned about the lesson she learned from her marriage. She replied:

"[I learned]athat love is love, and no one has the right to judge it. Steve and I remain fast friends to this day. Our love endures, although its form has changed."

A report by ABTC stated that Novosel also started his career during childhood and trained himself in music after joining a New York-based high school. After completing a course in advanced trumpet study, he played for the US Army Band in Virginia.

Apart from working with artists and bands, he has participated in tours, playing for personalities like Joe Cohn. He has around 57 recordings in his credits, and he was mentored by saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Hampton, as per Jazz Knights.

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Roberta's recent death has led to a lineup of tributes on different platforms. Her family has yet to reveal more details about her funeral, and further updates on the same are currently awaited.