Anita Pointer

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Anita Pointer

| image = Anita Pointer 1974.jpg

| caption = Pointer in 1974

| birth_name = Anita Marie Pointer

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1948|1|23}}

| birth_place = Oakland, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|12|31|1948|1|23}}

| death_place = Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = {{flatlist|

R&B
soul
pop
dance

}}

| occupation = Singer-songwriter

| years_active = 1969–2015

| label = {{flatlist|

}}

| past_member_of = The Pointer Sisters

}}

Anita Marie Pointer (January 23, 1948{{Spaced en dash}}December 31, 2022) was an American singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters. She co-wrote and was the lead singer on their hit song "Fairytale", which garnered them their first Grammy Award in 1975. She was also the lead singer on many of their other hits, including "Yes We Can Can", "Fire", "Slow Hand", and "I'm So Excited".

Early life and family

Pointer was born in Oakland, California, on January 23, 1948,[https://books.google.com/books?id=9Nlu-mYCxXgC&dq=anita+pointer+1948&pg=PA90 Your Birthday, Your Card, By Robert Lee Camp · 2008]. Retrieved July 15, 2020.[https://books.google.com/books?id=uU9AAQA6kAMC&q=anita+pointer+1948 Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, By Editors Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Magazine Editors · 2001]. Retrieved July 15, 2020. as the fourth of six children to Sarah Elizabeth (née Silas; 1924–2000) and Reverend Elton Pointer (1901–1979).[https://books.google.com/books?id=wTNLCgAAQBAJ Arkansas In Ink, Anita Marie Pointer (1948–)]. Retrieved July 15, 2020. Though she was born in California, Pointer's parents were natives of Arkansas. As a result, her family traveled by car almost yearly from California to Arkansas to visit Pointer's grandparents who lived in Prescott.{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=4022|title=Anita Pointer (1948–) – Encyclopedia of Arkansas|work=Paul Ciulla Everett, Massachusetts}}

During that time, her mother allowed her to stay with her grandparents to attend fifth grade at McRae Elementary, seventh grade at McRae Jr. High, and tenth grade at McRae High School. While in Prescott, she played alto sax as a member of the McRae High School band. In 1969, Pointer quit her job as a secretary to join her younger sisters Bonnie and June to form the Pointer Sisters.{{cite web|url=http://www.thepointersisters.com/anita-pointer|title=Anita Pointer – The Pointer Sisters|work=Paul Ciulla|access-date=September 25, 2015|archive-date=May 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526002822/http://www.thepointersisters.com/anita-pointer|url-status=dead}} Their sister Ruth joined the group in 1972.{{cite news|first=Ben|last=Brasch|title=Anita Pointer, of Grammy-winning Pointer Sisters, dies at 74|date=January 1, 2023|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/01/01/anita-pointer-sisters-dead/|access-date=January 2, 2023}}

Career

Pointer and her sisters found fame in 1973, when she sang lead on "Yes We Can Can", which reached {{abbr|No.|Number}} 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite news|first=Alex|last=Traub|title=Anita Pointer, Lead Vocalist Who Powered the Pointer Sisters, Dies at 74|date=January 1, 2023|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/01/obituaries/anita-pointer-dead.html|access-date=January 2, 2023|page = B5|url-access = limited}}{{cite magazine | title=Billboard Hot 100 | magazine=Billboard | date=January 2, 2013 | url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/ | access-date=January 2, 2023}} In 1974, Pointer's writing talents helped the group make music history when "Fairytale" became a hit on the country music charts and enabled the Pointer Sisters to become the first black female group to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.{{cite web | last=Roberts | first=Jeremy | title=Inside 'Fairytale,' the Pointer Sisters' defiant country kiss-off covered by Elvis | website=Medium | date=January 1, 2023 | url=https://medium.com/@jeremylr/inside-fairytale-the-pointer-sisterss-defiant-country-kiss-off-covered-by-elvis-e07c0e002e1f | access-date=January 2, 2023}} "Fairytale", written by Pointer and her sister Bonnie and featuring Pointer on lead vocals, earned the group its first Grammy Award, winning Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group and receiving a Grammy nomination for the Best Country Song of the year in 1975.{{cite web | publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences | title=1974 GRAMMY WINNERS – 17th Annual GRAMMY Awards | url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/17th-annual-grammy-awards | access-date=January 2, 2023}}

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Pointer Sisters rose to higher levels of success. Pointer was the lead singer on many of their hits, including "Fire" (1978) and "Slow Hand" (1981), which both reached No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart, and "I'm So Excited" (1982), which spent 40 weeks on the chart. She sang backup on other hits, with June leading "Jump (For My Love)", which won the 1985 Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and "Automatic" featuring Ruth as lead and winning the Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, also in 1985.{{cite web | publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences | title=1984 GRAMMY WINNERS – 27th Annual GRAMMY Awards | url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/27th-annual-grammy-awards | access-date=January 2, 2023}} Both songs were from the 1983 album Break Out, which reached triple-platinum status.{{cite web|title=Anita Pointer, member of the Pointer Sisters, dies at 74|date=January 1, 2023|work=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-01-01/singer-anita-pointer-of-the-pointer-sisters-dies-at-age-74|access-date=January 2, 2023}} Other Pointer Sisters' hits included "He's So Shy" (1980) and "Neutron Dance" (1984),{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Joseph |date=June 9, 2020 |title=Following Bonnie's Death, Two of the Original Pointer Sisters Are Still Alive |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/how-many-pointer-sisters-alive |access-date=January 2, 2023 |website=Distractify |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The Pointer Sisters Albums and Discography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-pointer-sisters-mn0000894847/discography |access-date=January 2, 2023 |website=AllMusic |language=en}} which was popularized in the opening scene of the film Beverly Hills Cop. From 1973 to 1985, they had 13 top-20 pop hits in the United States.

In 1986, Pointer found chart success with country superstar Earl Thomas Conley on the song "Too Many Times", which reached No. 2 on the country chart.{{cite magazine|title=Anita Pointer|magazine=Billboard|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/anita-pointer/|access-date=January 2, 2023}} In 1987, she released her first solo album, Love for What It Is.{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Heim|title=Love For What It Is (Anita Pointer,...|date=January 31, 1988|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-01-31-8803260721-story.html|access-date=January 2, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Brown|title=Anita Pointer from Grammy-winning Pointer Sisters dies aged 74|date=January 1, 2023|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/01/anita-pointer-from-grammy-winning-pointer-sisters-dies-aged-74|access-date=January 2, 2023}} Her album's first single, "Overnight Success", reached No. 41 on the Billboard R&B chart. A second single from the album, More Than a Memory, also charted, reaching No. 73 R&B in 1988.

In 1994, Pointer and her sisters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,{{cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/the-pointer-sisters|title=The Pointer Sisters – Hollywood Walk of Fame|work=walkoffame.com|date=October 25, 2019}} and in 1998, Pointer was singularly inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://arblackhalloffame.org/honorees/anita-pointer|title=Anita Pointer – Arkansas Black Hall of Fame|work=arblackhalloffame.org|access-date=July 29, 2014|archive-date=July 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729232552/http://arblackhalloffame.org/honorees/anita-pointer/|url-status=dead}} In 2015, she retired from the Pointer Sisters after medical issues following chemotherapy.{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/books/ruth-pointer-of-the-pointer-sisters-on-her-cocaine-addiction-and-escaping-scientology-rehab/news-story/3599b075e331eeb72ddc6e33c8ee94f3 |quote=The Pointer Sisters' line-up has become so fluid that Ruth is now the only original member. June Pointer was kicked out of the band in 2004 due to ongoing crack cocaine use. While she entered rehab she died in 2006 after a battle with cancer. Anita Pointer left the band after medical issues following chemotherapy left her unable to tour |title=Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters on her cocaine addiction and escaping Scientology rehab |website=News.com.au |date=February 24, 2016 |access-date=April 4, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404064340/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/books/ruth-pointer-of-the-pointer-sisters-on-her-cocaine-addiction-and-escaping-scientology-rehab/news-story/3599b075e331eeb72ddc6e33c8ee94f3 |archive-date=April 4, 2016 |last1=Adams |first1=Cameron}}{{cite web|title=Anita Pointer|website=PointerSisters.com|url=https://thepointersisters.com/anita.html|access-date=January 2, 2023}}

In February 2020, Pointer released the book, Fairytale: The Pointer Sisters' Family Story which was co-written with her brother, Fritz Pointer. The book chronicles the Pointer family origins and history as well as finding themselves as young black women in the San Francisco Bay Area during the civil rights and Black Power movement of the late 1960s. As well, it describes the difficulties and successes they encountered throughout their career and shares their chart history, discography and other surprises along the way. Throughout the book, family members also share their memories of the Pointer family history including Bonnie, who died that same year in June. The book earned positive reviews upon release.{{cite web|title=36. I'm So Excited…Celebrating Juneteenth with the Pointer Sisters (with Anita Pointer and Fritz Pointer)|date=June 14, 2021|work=Ms.|url=https://msmagazine.com/podcast/36-im-so-excited-celebrating-juneteenth-with-the-pointer-sisters-with-anita-pointer-and-fritz-pointer/|access-date=January 2, 2023}}

Personal life

Pointer was married several times and had one child. In December 1965, at age 17, Pointer married David Harper. They had a daughter, Jada Rashawn Pointer, born April 9, 1966. They divorced later in 1966. Jada Pointer died of cancer in 2003, aged 37.

Pointer was briefly in a relationship with Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson.{{sfn|Henderson|Knobler|1987|p=120}}

Her daughter inspired one of the Pointer Sisters' most popular songs, "Jada", written by the group and released on their debut album in 1973. In October 1981, Pointer married Richard Gonzalez. The two later divorced.

Pointer's older brother, Aaron Pointer, was a Major League Baseball player and later a referee in the National Football League. Her cousin Paul Silas was a National Basketball Association player and head coach.{{cite web |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/seahawks/2002932813_pointer16.html |title=Aaron Pointer is a man for all seasons |work=Greg Bishop, Seattle Times, staff reporter - Old.SeattleTimes.com |date=April 16, 2006 |access-date=April 19, 2016}}

= Health and death =

In October 2021, Pointer was supposed to be a contestant on season 6 of The Masked Singer, as part of a duet with her sister Ruth, who revealed that Pointer had not performed because she was dealing with an illness.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/10/13/the-masked-singer-recap-cupcake-eliminated-ruth-pointer-caterpillar-wildcard/8435070002/|title='Masked Singer': Cupcake is iced out; wildcard Caterpillar gives 'front-runner performance'|first=Erin|last=Jensen|website=USA Today}}

Pointer died from cancer at her home in Beverly Hills, California, on December 31, 2022, aged 74.{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64138736|title = Grammy-winning singer Anita Pointer dies aged 74|work = BBC News|date = January 1, 2023|accessdate = January 2, 2023}}

Discography

= Albums =

Love for What It Is (1987 RCA Records){{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-for-what-it-is-mw0000192804 | title=Anita Pointer – Love for What It is Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}

"Overnight Success" (4:45)
"Love Me Like You Do (5:25)
"The Pledge" (duet with Philip Bailey) (3:16)
"You Don't Scare Me" (3:40)
"More Than a Memory" (4:45)
"Have a Little Faith in Love" (5:56)
"Love for What It Is" (5:05)
"Beware of What You Want" (5:42)
"Temporarily Blue" (4:20)

= Singles =

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Single

! US R&B

! Album

1987

| "Overnight Success"{{YouTube

bjt6RmKkuI|Anita Pointer – Overnight Success}}

| align="center"| 41

| Love for What It Is

1988

| "More Than a Memory"

| align="center"| 73

| Love for What It Is

= Guest singles =

class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"\| Year ! rowspan="2"\| Single ! rowspan="2"\| Artist ! colspan="2"\| Chart Positions ! rowspan="2"\| Album
width="50"\| US Country ! width="50"\| CAN Country
1986 \| "Too Many Times"{{cite book \|title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition\|last=Whitburn \|first=Joel \|authorlink=Joel Whitburn \|year=2004 \|publisher=Record Research \|page=88}} \| Earl Thomas Conley \| align="center"\| 2 \| align="center"\| 3 \| Too Many Times

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! rowspan="2"| Artist

! colspan="2"| Chart Positions

! rowspan="2"| Album

width="50"| US Country

! width="50"| CAN Country

1986

| "Too Many Times"{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=88}}

| Earl Thomas Conley

| align="center"| 2

| align="center"| 3

| Too Many Times

Soundtracks

1996: The Associate{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r241578|first=Jason|last=Ankeny|accessdate=2011-06-16}}

Notes

References

{{cite book|last1=Henderson|first1=Thomas|last2=Knobler|first2=Peter|title=Out of Control: Confessions of an NFL Casualty|year=1987|publisher=Putnam |isbn=0-399-13264-3}}