Alfa Anderson, a prominent vocalist for the iconic disco group Chic, known for classics such as “Good Times” and “Le Freak,” has passed away at the age of 78. Nile Rodgers, Chic’s founder, announced her death on December 17, 2024, on social media, sharing vintage images of the band with the caption, “RIP Alfa Anderson. CHIC Organization.” Rodgers added that Anderson was “forever loved.”
The cause of Anderson’s death has not been released.
Anderson was born on September 7, 1946, in Augusta, Georgia. She started writing songs at three years old. Her passion for music continued through her years at Paine College and Columbia University, where she participated in choir performances. Anderson’s professional music career took off in 1976 when she sang backup for Cannonball Adderley at Carnegie Hall.
Anderson’s journey to disco fame started in 1977 when Luther Vandross advised her to audition for Chic, a newly formed group. Anderson began as a backup singer but rose to the position of lead vocalist in 1978 alongside Luci Martin after Norma Jean Wright left the group. During her time with Chic, Anderson’s voice became a fundamental part of the band’s signature sound, particularly on their popular albums “C’est Chic” and “Risqué.”
Anderson contributed her vocal talents to Chic’s most popular songs, including “Le Freak,” “Good Times,” and “My Forbidden Lover.” After Chic disbanded in 1983, Anderson toured internationally with Vandross, performing notably at Wembley Stadium in London. She also collaborated with several acclaimed artists such as Bryan Adams, Mick Jagger, Teddy Pendergrass, and Jennifer Holliday.
Before her time with Chic, Anderson recorded backup vocals for various artists, including Dionne Warwick and Roy Buchanan. Additionally, she worked on the soundtrack for “The Wiz,” produced by Quincy Jones, in 1978.
In the late ’90s, Anderson, alongside her husband Tinkr Barfield, founded Voices of Shalom, a group that produced inspiring original music with spiritual themes. They released two albums, “Messages” in 1999 and “Daily Bread” in 2002, and a single titled “What A Spirit” in 2005 that featured guest performances by Lisa Fischer and Keith Anthony Fluitt. Concurrently, Anderson’s vocals helped introduce Chic’s music to younger audiences through films like “Shrek 2,” “Toy Story 3,” “Up in the Air,” “Roll Bounce,” and Spike Lee’s “Summer of Sam.”
Anderson’s career spanned both music and education. After Chic disbanded, she obtained a second master’s degree in educational leadership from Bank Street College in New York and became the principal at El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice High School in Brooklyn. In 2017, she released her solo album, “Music from My Heart.”
Anderson garnered recognition for her work as a solo artist and a founding member of Chic from various prestigious organizations. In 2018, a year after her album “Music from My Heart” was released, Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. declared May 5 as “Alfa Anderson Day” in Augusta, Georgia, and presented her with the keys to the city. That same year, she was inducted into the 2018 Legends of Vinyl Hall of Fame. She was also recognized with the Golden Mic Award from the G.E.M.A. Foundation in 2014 and a citation from the City of Philadelphia for her numerous musical achievements. Chic’s iconic recording of “Le Freak,” with Anderson as lead vocalist, was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2018, following her induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.
