THE LEGEND: See Cindy Alter at Ferrymans Tavern, The Alma Caf� or The Clovelly Folk Club. THE LEGEND: See Cindy Alter at Ferrymans Tavern, The Alma Caf� or The Clovelly Folk Club.
Arts Writer
FOR four years they reigned supreme – South Africa’s leading international pop band Clout. At the helm, the formidable voice of Cindy Alter, selling over 12 million albums and charting at Number 1 around the world, including a No. 2 the UK.
Clout once shared stages in Europe with The Police, Debbie Harry, Supertramp, Dire Straights, The Village People, Boney M, Gloria Gaynor, Kiss, Dire Straits, Thin Lizzy, Van Halen, Kiss, and all the top bands of the late 70’s and 80’s.
They earned five SARIE (SAMA) awards, and numerous platinum and gold records, the biggest achievement to date for a band from South Africa. When Clout disbanded, Alter formed The Cindy Alter Band, which eventually became Zia, one of the first multi-racial bands in the country.
They released five albums, touring Africa and France, opening for The Bee Gees, Mahlathini and The Mahotela Queens, and gigged with Chico, Lucky Dube, Stimela, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Brenda Fassie, Mango Groove, and Hotline.
Alter was the prime songwriter for Zia, penning hits such as Nobody Loves You Like I Do, W ake Up, Are the Children Coming Home and Trust in Me.
In 1990 Alter moved to Los Angeles to pursue her song writing journey. She recorded two solo self-penned CD’s, and shared stages with Kenny Loggins, Sophie B. Hawkins, Clint Black, Olivia Newton-John, Glen Phillips and Jim Messina.
Cindy also hosted numerous song writing showcases, workshops and was a guest on panels at various events across Los Angeles
In 2002 she toured Nashville, playing venues like the Bluebird Café and Exit In, and met industry big-wigs who were interested in her songs. Just as she was about to move there, she was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, and all her plans were put on hold, as she underwent almost a year of treatments, chemotherapy, radiation and finally, a stem-cell bone marrow transplant in 2003.
When all was done the singer decided she needed to go back home, to Africa, to heal, and in 2005 she returned to her birthplace, putting Clout back together for a reunion tour, releasing a new CD, four of the songs written by her. And after almost 30 years of being apart, Clout was nominated for a SAMA award.
Making the decision to stay in South Africa and moving onto new things, Cindy teamed up with Stewart Irving, creating the duo, Alter Irving, touring locally, opening for Air Supply. After putting a band together, they released a CD titled Chained to the Wind. Alter wrote six of the tracks on the album.
After penning a range of works last year Alter and producer Denholm Harding recorded Faith and Fire, her first solo album recorded here, which some fans view as her best work to date. She also went on to publish her autobiography, No Substiture, which is going into it’s first reprint.
A committed songwriter and champion for the rights of musicians, she sits on the board of the Composers Association of SA, along with Concord Nkabinde, Joe Arthur, Colin Shapiro, Gloria Bosman and Mfanelo Ntlama.
Capetonians can see Alter here from April 30 to May 3, where she will play all her past hits, as well as her new material, while sharing the stage with local musician Lionel Bastos.
See her at a free gig at the Ferrymans Tavern at the V&A Waterfront on Saturday, April 30 from 3pm to 6pm, and at The Alma Café in Rosebank on Sunday, May 1 at 6pm. Tickets include a meal and dessert. She’ll also perform at Clovelly Folk Club on May 3 at 7pm.
Alter shows us how to keep the faith and never let anything stand in the way of achieving your dreams.
l Ferrymans Tavern: 082 345 3835, The Alma Café 021 685737, Clovelly Folk Club: 021 784 2111