The Pointer Sisters appear on the Grand Ole Opry 1974

The Pointer Sisters first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry October 25, 1974, becoming the first black female group to perform at the venue.  They performed Fairytale which went on to win a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group. 

Later, Elvis Presley covered Fairytale.

The Pointer Sisters appear on the "Carol Burnett Show" 1975

My girls showed up again on the Carol Burnett Show February 8, 1975.  This time they are the panel for the game show Up Your Income as the Shana-Nana-Noonie Sisters.   Ruth, Bonnie, and Anita appeared in the skit.  

Watch Stella Toddler and the Pointer Sisters in Up Your Income!

Remembering Anita Pointer (1948-2022)

I am so sad right now.  I've just learned that Anita Pointer passed just before the new year at age 74.  I haven't been able to find a cause of death yet.  She was a founding member of the Pointer Sisters, whom I adore and worship.  She was surrounded by her family when she passed.  She follows sisters June and Bonnie to the Grand Stage in the Sky.  Ruth is the last surviving member of the original Pointer Sisters.   

The Pointer Sisters appear on "The Carol Burnett Show" 1975

My girls the Pointer Sisters appeared on the Carol Burnett Show October 25, 1975, performing How Long? They appeared in a sketch with Harvey Korman playing a Wolfman Jack character called Sheep-man, which he plays hilariously.  The finale was a song and dance arrangement of  Get Me to the Church On Time, with Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence.  The Pointer Sisters showed off their extraordinary talents and beautiful vocals to the upbeat, uplifting performance.  I miss them so much!

The Pointer Sisters appear on "American Bandstand" 1977

My girls the Pointer Sisters appeared on American Bandstand February 5, 1977.  They sang You Gotta Believe, from the movie Car Wash.  They appeared on American Bandstand's 25th anniversary special the night before.

Dick Clark interviewed them after their performance.  I couldn't find a video of the song but here is the interview with Clark.

Pointer Sisters' "How Long (Betcha' Got A Chick On The Side)" reaches #1 1975

My girls, the Pointer Sisters' first single from their album Steppin', Hold On (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side) reached #1 on the US Hot Soul Singles chart September 6, 1975.  Anita and Bonnie wrote the song, and the sisters' soulful harmonies made it a major hit early in their career.  It remained at the top for 2 weeks, their first and only number-one hit on the Hot Soul Singles. 

Remembering Bonnie Pointer (1950-2020)

Bonnie Pointer, born July 11, 1950 and a founding member of the Grammy-winning, ground-breaking Pointer Sisters, passed away earlier today.  She and baby sister June started singing as teenagers and in 1969, Anita joined the pair and they changed their name to the Pointer Sisters.  In 1972, big sister Ruth joined and they released their debut album in 1973.

Bonnie co-wrote their country hit Fairytale with Anita, which won their first Grammy Award.  She is survived by her two sisters Ruth and Anita.

The Pointer Sisters win their first Grammy 1975

The Pointer Sisters win their first Grammy Award, March 1, 1975 for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for Fairytale.  The song was written by Anita and Bonnie, who were also nominated for Best Country Song as the songwriters.  Later Fairytale was covered by Elvis Presley. 

Based on the song's success, the Pointer Sisters were invited to Nashville, and became the first African-American group to perform at the Grand Ol' Opry!

The Pointer Sisters release "Having A Party" 1977

The Pointer Sisters released their fourth studio album Having A Party in November 1977.  June participated in recording of the title track but had to leave the group for a short time.  Ruth, Anita and Bonnie finished the album.

It was their final album featuring Bonnie, who would leave the group later, and the last album released on the Blue Thumb label.  They would sign with Planet Records and welcome June back into the fold!

Happy birthday, Ruth Pointer!

Still beautiful and still so excited, Ruth Pointer, member of the awesome Pointer Sisters, was born March 19, 1946 in Oakland, California.  She joined her younger sisters, Anita, June and Bonnie in 1972, making the group a quartet.  They released their first album The Pointer Sisters in 1973.

Bonnie left the group after their third album, Steppin' and they continued as a trio. 

In 1990, Ruth married Michael Sayles (her final husband) and in 1993 gave birth to twins at age 47.  She continues to perform with her daughter Issa and her grandaughter Sadako. 

She sings lead on Neutron Dance and Back in My Arms. 

I read her autobiography Still So Excited back in January.  Such a great woman!

Celebrating Black History Month - The Pointer Sisters

Of course, I'm not going to let Black History Month go by without giving a shout out to my girls, the beautiful, talented Pointer Sisters.  Not just because they are my favorite group but they also pushed back race barriers through their beautiful music.

October 25, 1974, they became the first African-American vocal group to perform at the Grand Ol' Opry.  Charley Pride appeared in 1967.  They performed Fairytale, a country song written by Anita and Bonnie which appeared on their album That's a Plenty, released in February 1974.  It was a departure from their usual R&B sound, but it paid off.  It gave them their first Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for 1974.  It was the first Grammy to an all-female vocal group.

Anita and Bonnie were nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Song for writing Fairytale.

They planned to record an album of all C&W songs, but only one song was released, Live Your Life Before You Die.  It was a minor hit but it did give them another Grammy nomination for Best Country Group Performance. 

Listen to both here:

Book review of "Still So Excited!" by Ruth Pointer and Marshall Terrill

One must not criticize an autobiography, especially when the author has laid out their life and experiences with the ugly truth.  To criticize would be to judge that person and we are not to judge one another.  It takes an amazing amount of strength to put those hardships, bad/catastrophic decisions and acts that lack common sense out there for everyone to read. 

But that’s what Ruth Pointer did, in her autobiography Still So Excited!: My Life as a Pointer Sister written with Marshall Terrill, who has written biographies of many celebrities. 

I became a huge fan of theirs when they released their Break Out album which was the apex of their career.  But to read the struggles Ruth and her sisters Anita, June and Bonnie went through to even get their first album The Pointer Sisters.  Their success began to build after its release but went through some highs and lows.  With an emphasis on the highs. It seemed that once fame and success hit, so did the drugs and alcohol.

Ruth divulges everything and does not hold back when discussing her additions to cocaine and crack.  How her addictions led to four failed marriages, major rifts between sisters and letting people take advantage of her and her sisters.  Who knows what we would do if we found ourselves in those situations? 

She still holds some bitterness and anger against the people who kicked her father out of the church he built from the ground up and established a congregation.  We can usually forgive someone who has wronged us, but when someone wrongs a person we love, like a parent, spouse or sibling, those hurt feelings might never go away. 

Ruth talks about the night she decided she had had enough of the drugs and alcohol and decided to go sober.  That was in 1985 and she has been clean and sober ever since.  Unfortunately, the same could not be said about June or Bonnie.  Ruth doesn’t mention if Anita had any problems with drugs, alcohol or husbands.  It almost sounds as if Anita was the only sister who did not have the same troubles as the other three.

Although June was on a downward spiral, they managed to release albums until the 1990’s with Only Sisters Can Do That being their final album of original material.  None of them came close to the success as Break Out.

It’s heartbreaking to think of what could have happened if June had managed to clean up.  Would they still be making beautiful music?  Again one cannot judge her since she experienced a horrific, terrifying ordeal as a teenager.  Ruth mentions more than once this incident might have unhinged her for the rest of her life.  Who knows what demons tormented her all her life?

Ruth is still out there performing with her daughter Issa and granddaughter Sadako and still so excited.  And she just can’t hide it!

This is an amazing book, albeit heartbreaking and sad in someplaces, yet uplifting and positive!

June Pointer, Goddess of Music, born 1953

June Antoinette Pointer, born November 30, 1953 in Oakland, California, was a founding member of the Pointer Sisters.  She and Bonnie first started as a duo in 1969, then Anita joined them.  Ruth made the group a quartet in 1972 and the rest is history.

She sang lead on some of their biggest hits, such as Jump (For My Love), He's So Shy, Baby Come and Get it and Should I Do It?

She was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and passed away April 11 of that year.  But her music and voice will live forever!

Celebrating Black History Month: The Pointer Sisters

The rules of the lesson said to avoid performance artists because it would be easy to complete your list with rap artists, actors, athletes and anyone who has been overhyped by the media, but I had to include the Pointer Sisters.  No other group has had such an effect on me and my personality.   Of course, I heard the Pointer Sisters in the late 70’s when they came out with such hits as Slow Hand and Fire, but it was their album Break Out in 1983 that was what finalized their permanent position in my life.

They started as a duet with June and Bonnie performing in clubs in 1969.  Anita joined the group and in 1972 Ruth became a member.  They won a Grammy in 1975 for Best Country Vocal Performance for Fairytale, a song written by Anita Pointer, a first for an all African-American female group.  They were also the first all African-American female group to perform at the Grand Ol’ Opry. 

Bonnie left the group in 1978, but the other three carried on and enjoyed immense success in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  They won two Grammys in 1985 for Jump, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Automatic for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Vocals.  They were nominated for six more Grammys, including one for Contact, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Their last studio albums was Only Sisters Can Do That in 1993.  June, the baby sister, left the group in 2004 and passed away in 2006 from cancer.

The Pointer Sisters continue to perform today with Ruth, her daughter Issa and her granddaughter Sadako.

The Pointer Sisters release "Steppin'" 1975

The Pointer Sisters released their third studio album, "Steppin'" in May 1975.  The album includes a wonderful medley tribute to Duke Ellington, which includes "I Ain't Got Nothing But the Blues", "Satin Doll", "Indigo Mood", "Rocks in my Bed", "Creole Love Song" and "I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good)".

My absolute favorite, and the most played song on my iPad is "Going Down Slowly"  This is an audio only but it's still one to crank up!