GOOD TIMES
Alfa was born in Augusta, Georgia, and was the first child of Alfonso and Essie. Her father worked for US Postal. Her mother was a social worker and Girl Scout troop leader – who was very religious.
She was called Alfa because it was the first letter in the Greek alphabet, although her name was spelt with an ‘f’ as a tribute to her father.
Her mother, Essie, was an accomplished pianist. Alfa took after her. Her parents said that she created her first song aged just three.
Alfa broke her father’s collapsable ruler. Fearing getting into trouble, she hid it under the bed. When her parents searched for it, guilt overcame her. She rushed to the piano, hit the keys and sung, “I broke it, Yes, I broke it – and I’m glad I broke it.”
Years later in an interview, Alfa was asked if she had inherited her musical genes. “From my mother, yes. But my father couldn’t hold a tune in a bucket!”
At school, Alfa she learned to play the saxophone and flute. She was also part of a marching band. Pretty quickly, she realised the sound of the flute got lost in the overall cacophony.
Consequently, Alfa learned to play the piccolo, reasoning that its high-pitched notes could be heard above all others.
Alfa was also a singer in her church choir.
After leaving school, she went to Paine College in Augusta, where she got a degree in English.
Then Alfa moved to New York City, living in Harlem. She studied for her master’s degree at the Teacher’s College of Columbia University and sang in the college choir.
Her breakthrough as a soloist came with a role in a one-off play performed at Carnegie Hall. It was called ‘Big Man’ and was written by jazz saxophonist Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley. It was about a black railroad worker.
Alfa played the part of a prostitute called Maggie and sang one solo called ‘Grind your own Coffee’.
Her mother, Essie, was in the audience. As a regular churchgoer, she was appalled at the role her daughter played.
Alfa’s next performance was in a play at the Lincoln Centre, protesting about American involvement in the Vietnam War. She sang a song called ‘Children of Fire’.
By now, Alfa was teaching at Hunter College, a public university in New York.
At the weekend she sang in Harlem, joining a group called ‘Raw Sugar’ (founded by two friends from her home town of Augusta).
One night, her band mates introduced her to a friend of theirs, an aspiring backing singer called Luther Vandross.
Alfa and Luther would become close friends.
Vandross got a position as a supporting vocalist with a newly created group, known as Chic. Although they had a lead female singer called Norma Jean Wright, they needed another backing vocalist. Luther suggested Alfa audition.
She did – and got the position.
Chic’s first album was to be recorded at Studio 54. For the first session, not wanting to be late, Alfa turned up hours early – as did Luther Vandross.
When the other musicians turned up, they found Alfa marking her student’s exam papers, and Vandross eating a whole roast chicken.
This caused the band great amusement. However, founder member, Bernard Edwards, turned to the other creator of the band, Nile Rodgers, and said, “Are you sure these are the right people for the job?”
Rodgers just grinned and said, “It’ll be fine.”
The band’s first LP was eponymously named ‘Chic’, and was an instant success. The first single, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’, went straight to number one and the follow up, ‘Everybody Dance’ was a massive hit too. Alfa sang on both songs.
It led to Alfa getting other work too. She sang on Quincy Jones’ soundtrack album to the film ‘The Wiz’.
In 1978, Norma Jean Wright left Chic, and they asked Alfa to join them permanently. She agreed – initially for recording purposes only. As she was still teaching, Luci Martin replaced her when they went on the road.
Alfa was part of the recording of their second album, ‘C’est Chic’. She sang lead vocals (along with the other female singer, Diva Grey’ on the song ‘Le Freak’ (later to become an all-time disco classic). Other hits from the LP were, ‘Good Times’, ‘I Want Your Love’ and ‘My Forbidden Lover’.
Alfa sang solo on a haunting ballad on the album called, ‘At Last I Am Free’. She later said it was her favourite Chic song.
The song was immediately covered by English musician, Robert Wyatt, who did his own idiosyncratic version.
The LP ‘C’est Chic’ won the Best Rhythm and Blues Album of 1979, in Billboard magazine.
Chic realised what a powerful stage presence Alfa had, so they persuaded her to join them permanently. She agreed – and promptly resigned from Hunter College.
Alfa travelled the world with them and appeared on television programmes like ‘Soul Train’ (USA) and ‘Top of the Pops’ (UK).
Nile Rodgers persuaded her to sing additional vocals on ‘We Are Family’, a song he wrote for Sister Sledge – another big hit.
Whilst with Chic, Alfa released her own solo album, ‘Alfa’s Beta’. All the members of the band performed on it. It was not a great success.
In 1983, Chic disbanded. Alfa had to look for other work.
She sang on Bryan Ferry’s ‘Slave to Love’ and also worked with Diana Ross, Johnny Mathis (“Such a gentleman”), David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Sheena Easton and Cyndi Lauper, amongst others.
Alfa was contacted by Luther Vandross whose solo career had just taken off. He persuaded her to join him as his lead female vocalist.
She stayed with Vandross for four years. This included performing at Wembley Stadium.
It was during this time she met her husband, Luther’s bassist Eluriel ‘Tinker’ Barfield – always known as ‘Tinkr’. Alfa became step-mother to his two sons from a previous marriage – “my bonus sons” she always called them.
In 1987, Alfa suddenly quit music and went back to what she called her true vocation. She took another masters degree in Educational Management and then became a classroom teacher – rising to become a school principal.
Chic reformed in the early 1990s. They tried to persuade Alfa (and the other former female vocalists) to rejoin them but were turned down. They had to hire two new singers.
Bernard Edwards of Chic died in 1996. Alfa remained close friends with Nile Rodgers.
Alfa didn’t entirely abandon music. In the late 1990s, she formed a band with Tinkr called ‘Voices of Shalom’. They released two albums of gospel music, ‘Messages’ (1999) and ‘Daily Bread’ (2005).
When she retired from teaching, Alfa re-started her solo career, releasing a single called ‘Former First Lady of Chic’ and an LP entitled ‘Music From my Heart’. Both were produced by her husband.
She also went on tour with former Chic singers, Norma Jean Wright and Luci Martin.
In 2018, the Mayor of Augusta, Georgia, gave her the keys to the city and declared May 5th (her birthday) to be ‘Alfa Anderson Day’.
Alfa is survived by her husband and bonus sons.
RIP – Returned Into Pedagogy
