Roberta Flack's decades-long career owes much to the game-changing jazz, soul, and folk artists who paved the way for her sophisticated sound. Flack's vocal control can be traced to Minnie Riperton's unparalleled falsetto, while her frankness can be heard in Joan Baez's lilting folk. Her later forays into pop are imbued with the hooky melodies of Diana Ross and the charismatic lure of The Beatles.