The origin of Flack's hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Roberta Flack discovered Lori Lieberman's "Killing Me Softly With His Song" on a plane from L.A. to New York, and made it her own. "I was not limited to just taking the song off of the page of music," said Flack. After seeing the crowd reaction to her cover of the song while on tour with Quincy Jones, Jones convinced her to record it.

Clip Season 37 Episode 1 Length 02:27 Premiere: 01/24/23

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Season 37 Episodes

Show Episodes

Show Clips & Previews

José Clemente Orozco: Hombre de Fuego (En Español)

S37 E10 Length 54:31 Premiere Date 10/07/23

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

S37 E9 Length 1:22:29 Premiere Date 10/06/23

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S37 E6 Length 1:33:44 Premiere Date 09/15/23

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S37 E5 Length 1:29:31 Premiere Date 06/02/23

Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV

S37 E4 Length 1:45:01 Premiere Date 05/16/23

In The Making

S37 E3 Length 1:51:39 Premiere Date 03/24/23

Dr. Tony Fauci

S37 E2 Length 1:53:11 Premiere Date 03/21/23

Roberta Flack

S37 E1 Length 1:23:33 Premiere Date 01/24/23

Roberta Flack

Preview Length 00:35 Premiere Date 01/24/23

Clint Eastwood loved "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

Clip Length 02:42 Premiere Date 01/24/23

How Roberta Flack created soul with "getting-togetherness"

Clip Length 02:43 Premiere Date 01/24/23

The origin of Flack's hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Clip Length 02:27 Premiere Date 01/24/23

Roberta Flack was a child piano prodigy

Clip Length 02:09 Premiere Date 01/24/23

Remembering Jonas Mekas

Clip Length 02:47 Premiere Date 01/23/19

Remembering Carol Channing

Clip Length 01:03 Premiere Date 01/15/19

Remembering Stan Lee

Clip Length 07:17 Premiere Date 11/13/18

Remembering Paula Wayne

Clip Length 03:09 Premiere Date 11/12/18

Artists Flight Series Promo

Preview Length 00:30 Premiere Date 08/31/18

Remembering Neil Simon

Clip Length 01:04 Premiere Date 08/28/18

Remembering Anthony Bourdain

Clip Length 00:24 Premiere Date 06/08/18

Against All Odds: Meet the Woman Behind American Masters

Clip Length 05:29 Premiere Date 03/09/18

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Nam June Paik was the father of video art and coiner of the term "electronic superhighway." Born in Japan-occupied Korea, Paik went on to become a pillar of the American avant-garde and transformed modern image-making with his sculptures, films and performances. Experience his creative evolution, as Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun reads from Paik's own writings.

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Monday May 20, 2024 9:00 pm ET on KET2
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Dive into the career of the legendary blues guitarist, a pioneer of Chicago's West Side sound and major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Features new performances and interviews with John Mayer, Carlos Santana and more.

Monday June 3, 2024 9:00 pm ET on KET2
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Orozco: Man of Fire - S20 E6

Wednesday April 24, 2024 3:00 am ET on KET2
Wednesday April 24, 2024 2:00 am CT on KET2
Monday April 22, 2024 10:00 pm ET on KET2
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The Incomparable Mr. Buckley - S35 E8

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The origin of Flack's hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Recent Episodes

The Incomparable Mr. Buckley

Moynihan

HOPPER: An American love story

José Clemente Orozco: Man of Fire

José Clemente Orozco: Hombre de Fuego (En Español)

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

Sponsored by:

Clips & Previews

Roberta Flack

Clint Eastwood loved "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

How Roberta Flack created soul with "getting-togetherness"

The origin of Flack's hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Roberta Flack was a child piano prodigy

Remembering Jonas Mekas

Remembering Carol Channing

Remembering Stan Lee

Remembering Paula Wayne

Artists Flight Series Promo

Remembering Neil Simon

Remembering Anthony Bourdain

Against All Odds: Meet the Woman Behind American Masters

Specials

Dear Corky

Jerry Seinfeld on his place in American sitcom history

Weaving Nature

The Incomparable Mr. Buckley (Extended Audio Description)

The Incomparable Mr. Buckley (ASL)

Susie Essman on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and the unique "genius” of Larry David

Moynihan (Extended Audio Description)

Moynihan (ASL)

Becoming Yamazushi

Searching for Augusta Savage

HOPPER: An American love story (Extended Audio Description)

HOPPER: An American love story (ASL + Audio Description)

Louis Gossett, Jr. honors Maya Angelou's storytelling impact

Jerry Lewis on comedy and his bond with Sammy Davis, Jr.

Neil Young on David Geffen’s success as a media mogul

How Rita Moreno auditioned and rehearsed for West Side Story

How Billy Crystal learned to imitate Sammy Davis, Jr.

John Singleton on having Maya Angelou as a mentor

Steve Martin on how David Geffen thrived through friendships

Filmmaker Jonas Mekas on living in Andy Warhol's New York

Protactile: A Language of Touch

Protactile: A Language of Touch [Audio Description + ASL]

Protactile: A Language of Touch [Extended Audio Description]

André Leon Talley on Mae West’s impact on fashion and style

Fran Drescher on being a showrunner for the American sitcom

James Earl Jones on Sidney Poitier and acting

Lady Bunny on the echoes of Mae West in drag culture

Treat Williams on the acting process with Sidney Lumet

Keeping Video Art Alive With C.T. Lui

Ethan Lim: Cambodian Futures

Senghor Reid: Make Way For Tomorrow

Walshy Fire: Pull Up

Alejandro Jimenez: The Ground I Stand On

Jonathan Thunder: Good Mythology

Sydney G. James: How We See Us

Lily Gladstone: Far Out There

Jacques Pépin Makes Tuna Tartare

Jacques Pépin Makes Sautéed Cod with Mushrooms

Jacques Pépin Makes Baked Salmon with Sautéed Endive

Martin Scorsese on the films of John Ford

Jacques Pépin Makes Pork Roast with Ratatouille

Jacques Pépin Makes Pasta Fagioli

Jacques Pépin Makes Pasta Primavera

Jacques Pépin Makes Spaghetti with Basil Pesto

Jacques Pépin Prepares Blueberries with Lemon and Mint

Jacques Pépin Makes Lemon Posset for Dessert

Jacques Pépin Makes Ice Cream French Toast

How Harry Belafonte embraced Black culture in music

Tracey Ullman on Mel Brooks' intrinsically American comedy

Baayork Lee on becoming a Broadway star at age 5

I. M. Pei on sculpture

Gloria Steinem on the legacy of Marilyn Monroe

Laura Linney on mastering acting at Juilliard

Patti Smith on Lou Reed and rock and roll

Dionne Warwick on Lena Horne and her musical influences

Herbie Hancock on jazz and Quincy Jones' influence