Alfa Anderson has died.
The singer – who was an early vocalist for Chic and appeared on the group’s classic tracks including ‘Le Freak’, ‘Good Times’, ‘Everybody Dance’ and ‘I Want Your Love’ – passed away at the age of 78 on 17 December.
Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers shared the news on Instagram alongside a montage of photos, soundtracked by ‘At Last I Am Free’, which featured Alfa’s vocals.
He wrote: “Thank you for everything.”
And over the montage, it read: “RIP Alfa Anderson. CHIC organization. Forever loved [prayer and heart emojis].(sic)”
No further details about her death were given.
Alfa got her start thanks to a featured role in jazz musician Cannonball Adderley’s Big Man, which debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1976.
During the 1970s, she recorded backing vocals for a wide range of artists including Nat Adderley, Ray Barretto, Odyssey, and Roy Buchanan, and featured on the soundtrack to ‘The Wiz’, which was produced by Quincy Jones.
But her life changed when Luther Vandross invited her to a vocal session for the newly-formed Chic, featuring Tony Thompson on drums and Norma Jean Wright on vocals.
She was a backing vocalist on their early single ‘Everybody Dance’ and after touring with the band, was promoted to lead vocalist and shared the role with Luci Martin from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.
She also sang on Chic-produced recordings for artists including Diana Ross and Sister Sledge, and later toured with the likes of Luther Vandross, Sir Mick Jagger, Gregory Hines and Teddy Pendergrass.
In her later years, Alfa released her first solo album, ‘Music From My Heart’ in 2017, and debuted the record at a packed-out concert in New York.