Chic Singer Alfa Anderson Dead at 78

Alfa Anderson, former co-lead singer with Chic, died at the age of 78, band leader Nile Rodgers confirmed.

He provided no details in his social media post, which read: “#restinpoweralfaanderson #chic #loveyou #original #truth #soul #memories #wearefamily #always #music #peace #wedidit #together.”

Anderson was heard as backing vocalist on some of Chic’s biggest hits including “Le Freak,” “Good Times” and “My Forbidden Love.” She went on to track lead vocals for “I Want Your Love” and “At Last I Am Free.” She’d joined the band in 1977 and remained until its initial breakup in 1983.

READ MORE: Nile Rodgers Says Chic Were Influenced by Journey and Kiss

Before Chic, Anderson had been a backing vocalist for a number of recording artists including Dione Warwick. In the ‘80s she toured with Luther Vandross and recorded with Mick Jagger, Bryan Adams, Billy Squier and others.

She later became principal of a New York high school, while continuing to make music. She reunited with Rodgers for the Chic track “I’ll Be There” in 2015 and released her debut solo album, Music From My Heart, in 2017.

Watch Chic’s Video for ‘I Want Your Love’

Alfa Anderson’s Doubts Over Joining Chic

In a 2018 interview, Anderson told R&B Junkie that her friend Vandross had connected her with Rodgers and his musical partner Bernard Edwards, leading to an audition with Chic. “I was excited about the possibility until [Vandross] said, ‘It’s disco music.’ I thought I was losing my hearing.

“‘Disco! Are you for real? We aren’t disco artists, we are R&B artists.’ ‘Come on,’ he urged. ‘It’ll be fun.’ Not only was it fun, it was the turning point in my career. I went to the studio expecting to hear a very formulaic four-on-the-floor track. What I heard was ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ and it was perfection.”

She reported that the highlight of her career was the fact that “many of the classic songs on which I sang are still being played somewhere in the world every day.

“Who knew that ‘Le Freak’ or ‘Good Times’ would stand the test of time? These songs continue to be introduced to a new generation of fans in movie soundtracks and television commercials. That’s pretty awesome!”