Alfa Anderson, who sang with the group CHIC during the height of the disco craze has died according to several media outlets.
The Augusta-born singer who attended Paine College was part of the group that recorded “Le Freak” in 1978. “Le Freak” was the band’s third single and first Billboard Hot 100 and R&B No.1 song.
CHIC’s co-founder Niles Rodgers posted a tribute to her on Instagram on Dec. 17, 2024 with the CHIC song “At Last I am Free,” with Anderson singing the lead. He wrote “RIP Alfa Anderson CHIC Organization forever loved.” The post contained red heart and praying Black hands emojis.
Born Sept. 7, 1947, she attended Paine College and received her master’s degree from Columbia University, New York. had a featured role in Cannonball Adderley’s Big Man (1976), which premiered at Carnegie Hall, and also starred in Lincoln Center’s production of “Children of the Fire,” a piece scored by legendary trumpeter “Hannibal” Marvin Peterson. Throughout the 1970s, she recorded background vocals for artists such as Nat Adderley, Ray Barretto, Odyssey, Major Harris and Roy Buchanan. She also sang on the 1978 “The Wiz” soundtrack, according to her bio at her website.
“Anderson’s life changed when Luther Vandross invited her to a vocal session for Chic. At the time, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards had just formed the group with Tony Thompson on drums and Norma Jean Wright on lead vocals. She sang background on one of Chic’s first singles for Atlantic Records, “Everybody Dance,” which both brought Chic to the top of the dance charts for seven consecutive weeks in 1977. After joining Chic on tour, Alfa was promoted to lead vocalist, a role she and Luci Martin shared from 1978-1983,” her website said.
In the 1980s, she sang background for on Johnny Mathis’s “I Love My Lady,” Bryan Adams’ “Cuts Like a Knife; Luther Vandross’s “Busy Body” and “The Night I Fell In Love” and Eddie Murphy’s “So Happy.”
She released her first solo album, “Music from My Heart” in 2017,
Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. declared May 5, 2018, as “Alfa Anderson Day” in Augusta, and gave her the keys to the city. Later that year, she was inducted into the 2018 Legends of Vinyl (L.O.V.) Hall of Fame.
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