MIM Reopened! Welcoming the Community Back Safely to Enjoy the World’s Music

Musical Instrument Museum

Newest Display: New Roberta Flack Display in the Artist Gallery
See the legendary singer and musician’s piano and stage outfit

MIM’s newest display in the Artist Gallery pays tribute to Grammy Award–winning singer and musical icon Roberta Flack. Her body of work is acclaimed for its fusion of genres and soulful interpretation, with many of her songs topping the Billboard charts. Flack remains the only artist ever to win back-to-back Grammy Awards for Record of the Year (1972–1973). She most recently earned the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) for her remarkable contributions to music.

Known most for her exceptional voice, Flack began her musical journey as a pianist. She won a scholarship to Howard University when she was just 15 years old.

Flack donated her 1922 Steinway piano to MIM, her first professional-quality piano and a treasured instrument. MIM is delighted to showcase this piano in the Artist Gallery alongside a silk outfit made by Jackie Rogers and worn by Flack onstage.

“The piano has always been my primary instrument. It was my expression and my vehicle through which I transformed my life. My voice became a means of expression for me much later in my life. I told my students as I tell my audiences and musicians that I mentor that it doesn’t matter the instrument—you just need to find one and express yourself as honestly and as clearly as you can,” says Flack.

When asked what it meant to her to know that MIM’s audiences will discover her personal Steinway piano, Flack said, “I’m honored to be a part of such a rich collection. Through my music, I seek to find what connects us, which is always, at its root, love. I hope that the stories I tell in my music will continue to touch hearts through the years to come, many thanks to MIM!”

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