(July 9, 2026) Fans of Roberta Flack have been blessed since her death to hear several new and previously vaulted releases of her music, all of which have only enhanced her reputation as one of the great artists of the past half century. The latest is The Montreux Years, the BMG/Montreux Jazz Festival collection of previously unreleased performances spanning Flack’s appearances from 1971 through 2008.
One of the newly released songs is Flack’s cover of “More Than You’ll Ever Know,” a smooth jazz and adult contemporary hit for Michael Ruff in 1984. It took years to become Ruff’s signature song –its gravitas growing in the decades since its original release – and it developed into a wedding staple. The song had a second life in 1988 via a more vocally powerful interpretation by Carl Anderson, becoming arguably the key track from Anderson’s An Act of Love album.
Now, the new Flack release takes the song to a quieter place, with gentle electric piano backing her understated vocals. This 1990 recording is distinctive in its contrasts from the prior two versions, and fits neatly in the oeuvre of Flack’s career as a unique interpreter of ballads. It also is another great reason why her longtime fans need to find this live collection. Check it out below.
By Chris Rizik
