Chic lead singer Alfa Anderson dies aged 78 after featuring on chart-topping disco hits ‘Good Times’ and ‘Le Freak’
ALFA Anderson – the Chic lead vocalist who sang Good Times and Le Freak – has died aged 78.
The star’s fellow Chic bandmate Nile Rodgers confirmed the tragic news in a post to Instagram.
Rodgers wrote “thank you for everything,” along with a montage of photos of the pair and the band.
No further details about her death were given.
Alfa rose to stardom as one of the main vocalists for the band after joining the group in 1977 when Luther Vandross encouraged her to audition.
She began as a backup singer for the gorup before moving up to a main singing role after Norma Jean Wright decided to leave the group in 1978.
During her time as a lead vocalist in the group, Chic dropped massive hits like Le Freak, Good Times and My Forbidden Lover – all of which Alfa played a huge role in producing.
The original Chic group broke up in 1983, leading to Alfa touring as a solo act with Luther Vandross where she sang in massive venues like Wembley.
In 2015, Le Freak was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and in 2018 the song featuring Alfa on lead vocals was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.
Alfa has also worked with the likes of Bryan Adams, Mick Jagger, Teddy Pendergrass, Jennifer Holliday among other stars.
The star, in the 1990s, became a high school principal.
Her former school El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice High School in Brooklyn wrote a touching tribute to her.
More recently, in 2017, Alfa released her debut solo album dubbed Music From My Heart.
She also reunited with Chic to serve as one of the lead voices on their first single in nearly a quarter of a century in the 2015 version of I’ll Be There.
Reflecting on the band’s popularity following the release of Chic compilation Up All Night in 2013, Alfa explaiend why Chic’s productions continue to resonate.
She told Pop Matters: “They’re imbued with a spirit that is all-embracing and universal.
“Because there’s complexity in Chic’s music, it never goes out of date.
“It still makes you get up and dance no matter where you are. It’s just classic.
“I’m humbled and honored to be a part of that history and that legacy.”