THE POINTER SISTERS
Growing up and singing together in Oakland, California, The Pointer Sisters, Ruth, Anita, and June, honed their technique at the West Oakland Church of God where their father was the minister.
It wasn’t long before their versatility was noticed and music luminaries like Dave Mason, Alvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs and Grace Slick were soliciting their vocal services. Soon The Pointers began making their own mark on popular music with a long string of hits starting with their funky interpretation of Allen Toussaint’s Yes We Can Can. Fairytale, a tune penned by Anita and Bonnie, was a crossover country hit and the group became the first black female group to perform at The Grand Ole Opry. Continuing their groundbreaking tradition, The Pointers were also one of the first black female groups to headline in Las Vegas.
The Pointers continued to make music history with such chart toppers as Bruce Springsteen’s Fire, as well as He’s So Shy, Slow Hand, I’m So Excited, Jump (For My Love), and Automatic, all of which were staples on MTV and radio stations worldwide. Neutron Dance, the group’s 1984 hit, was culled from the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy’s box office smash, Beverly Hills Cop. The Pointers relationship with Eddie Murphy continued with their music involvement in The Nutty Professor. The Pointers may also be heard on the feature film Two If By Sea, starring Sandra Bullock and The Associate, starring Whoopi Goldberg.
One look at their Grammy Awards confirms that The Pointers have always been mavericks. Nominated ten times, they’ve taken home three in widely-varied categories: Best Country Vocal Group, Best Performance by a Group or Duo, and Best Vocal Arrangement.
11/11/01: The Pointer Sisters
