Alfa Anderson, the singer on some of Chic‘s biggest hits, has died aged 78.
Her bandmate Nile Rodgers confirmed the news on Tuesday (December 17) via Instagram. No cause of death has been given.
Alongside a montage of photos of him, Anderson and the rest of the band, soundtracked by ‘At Last I Am Free’ – one of Anderson’s solo tracks their 1978 album ‘C’est Chic’ – Rogers wrote: “Thank you for everything”. Above the montage, it reads: “RIP Alfa Anderson. CHIC organization. Forever loved.”
Anderson was born in Augusta, Georgia, on September 7, 1946. It’s been reported that she composed her first song at the age of three, before singing in school choirs and, in 1976, debuting as a backup singer for Cannonball Adderley, at Carnegie Hall.
Though initially she was studying to become a teacher, Anderson began recording background vocals for the likes of Dionne Warwick and Roy Buchanan, as well as on the Quincy Jones–produced 1978 soundtrack for The Wiz.
During her time working on the film’s soundtrack in 1977, she met Luther Vandross, who encouraged her to audition for Chic.
At the time the band were recording their debut self-titled album, which Anderson wound up singing backing vocals on.
Following the departure of Norma Jean Wright in 1978, she went on to become the group’s lead vocalist. She then began to feature prominently on Chic’s music, including their biggest albums: 1978’s ‘C’est Chic’ and ‘1979’s Risqué’. Her voice can be heard on some of their most recognisable hits, including ‘Le Freak’ ‘Good Times’ and ‘My Forbidden Lover’.
Chic dissolved in 1983, and Anderson went on to become a frequent guest on Soul Train and Top of the Pops. She also sang on Chic-produced albums like Sister Sledge‘s ‘We Are Family’, and ‘Diana’, by Diana Ross, and reunited with Vandross to tour internationally in the mid-1980s.
The next two decades saw her appear on albums by Bryan Adams, Gregory Hines, Mick Jagger, Teddy Pendergrass, Jennifer Holliday, Billy Squier, Sheena Easton, Jody Watley, Bryan Ferry, and Jonathan Butler.
Later, she rekindled her initial love of teaching and became the principal at Brooklyn’s El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice. She released music intermittently through the 2010s, including the single ‘Former First Lady of Chic’ and a self-released album in 2017 titled ‘Music From My Heart’.
In 2015, she reunited with Chic to serve as one of the lead vocalists on ‘I’ll Be There’, their first single in nearly 25 years.
That same year, Chic’s ‘Le Freak’ was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and, three years later, was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.
In other news, Nile Rogers accidentally confirmed that he and Chic will be performing at Glastonbury 2025.
