Alfa Anderson, who lent her lead vocals to the seminal, Grammy Corridor of Fame-inducted Chic observe “Le Freak,” has died on the age of 78.
“Thanks for the whole lot,” Nile Rodgers, who co-founded the Seventies disco band alongside Bernard Edwards, wrote in an Instagram tribute shared earlier this week. “RIP Alfa Anderson. CHIC Group. Ceaselessly liked ❤️🙏🏽,” he added within the video put up set to the group’s “At Final I Am Free” (on which Anderson lent her voice), that includes pictures of the 2 musical colleagues.
A reason behind demise has not been given.
As an early vocalist for the group, the notable soul and dance musician contributed to such classics like “Good Occasions,” “All people Dance” and “I Need Your Love.” These tracks have been subsequently sampled by the likes of The Sugarhill Gang, Will Smith, Grandmaster Flash, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, LL Cool J and plenty of others.
Per her official biography, Anderson obtained her begin by way of a featured position in jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley’s Large Man, which debuted at Carnegie Corridor in 1976. She additionally starred in Lincoln Heart’s manufacturing of Kids of the Fireplace, scored by legendary trumpeter Hannibal Lokumbe (née Marvin Peterson).
All through the ’70s, she recorded background vocals for a wide range of artists, together with Nat Adderley, Ray Barretto, Odyssey, Main Harris and Roy Buchanan. Moreover, she sang on the Quincy Jones-produced soundtrack to The Wiz (1978), that includes Diana Ross and Jackson.
Anderson’s life modified when famed report producer Luther Vandross invited her to a vocal session for Stylish, then only in the near past shaped with Tony Thompson on drums and Norma Jean Wright on lead vocals. She first started as a background vocalist, on considered one of Stylish’s first singles for Atlantic Information, “All people Dance,” which catapulted Stylish to the highest of the dance charts for seven consecutive weeks in 1977. After becoming a member of Stylish on tour, Anderson was promoted to guide vocalist, a task she shared with Luci Martin from the late ’70s by way of the early ’80s.
The group’s second album, C’est Stylish (1978), was a vital and industrial darling, that includes Anderson’s two solo numbers, “At Final I Am Free” and “I Need Your Love.” Famend vocalist Diva Grey and Anderson each sang lead on “Le Freak,” the group’s beloved ode to Studio 54 that has since been added to the Nationwide Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as of 2018. That observe turned Stylish’s most profitable single, in addition to Atlantic’s for greater than three many years.
Anderson continued as lead vocalist all through Stylish’s albums launched within the early ’80s, showing with the group on Soul Prepare and New Yr’s Rockin’ Eve. In the meantime, she lent her vocals on Stylish-produced classes for artists like Ross, Sister Sledge and Johnny Mathis.
Following Stylish’s dissolution, Anderson continued her singing profession with various artists, together with Vandross (whose touring band she carried out with at Wembley Stadium and different prestigious venues), in addition to Gregory Hines, Mick Jagger, Teddy Pendergrass and extra.
Previous to her demise, Anderson continued working as a musician, releasing her first solo effort, 2017’s Music From My Coronary heart, which she premiered with a standing room-only live performance at Joe’s Pub (The Public Theater) in New York Metropolis.
Anderson was born Sept. 7, 1947 in Augusta, Georgia, the place she was ultimately bestowed a key to the town in 2018. She was married to producer, composer and bass participant Eluriel “Tinkr” Barfield, with whom she based the faith-based group Voices of Shalom, releasing two albums.
