The Pointer Sisters Break Out

The Pointer Sisters, a versatile vocal group known as much for their sense of fashion as their harmonies, took the music industry by storm in the eighties with a style ranging from R&B and soul to pop and country.

The group was initiated by sisters Bonnie and June with Anita and later Ruth joining in to make it a quartet in 1972. Born to minister parents, the sisters were raised in a strict religious environment in Oakland, California. Beginning in the church choir, the group soon became professional singing back up for artistes like Elvin Bishop, Dave Mason, Esther Phillips and others.

Though the sisters were discovered by producer Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, their debut album, The Pointer Sisters was released by the ABC/Blue Thumb label in 1972. Yes We Can Can, from the album, gave the group their first hit, reaching No. 11 on the Billboard pop charts in 1973. The album itself was certified gold in 1974.

Broadly classified as soul artistes, the sisters were open to experimenting with other genres, notably country music. In fact they were among the first black groups to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, a country music staple. Their foray into country was consolidated by a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group in 1974. They won for Fairytale, written by Bonnie and Anita, which reached No. 13 on the pop charts and topped the country charts, another first for an all girl black group.

Some of the other seventies hits of the group were How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side) (1975), You Gotta Believe (1976) and Having a Party (1977).

In spite of the awards and hits however, consistent success eluded the sisters. Perhaps it was because they had a wide range of styles which made it difficult to put them in any one category.

In the mid-seventies the group went through a difficult period with June suffering a much publicised breakdown and the sisters to call it quits for a while in 1977. Bonnie left the group to strike out on her own as a solo artiste.

Anita, June and Ruth revived the group in 1978. They began working with producer Richard Perry who helped them focus on their soul origins. Signed to Planet Records, Perry’s label, they released Energy, their third gold album.

Over the next few years the Pointer Sisters produced one hit after another. These included Fire (1978), a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s original, Black and White (1981) and Break Out (1984), an album that spawned two Grammy winners, Jump(for my Love) and Automatic. The triple platinum Break Out was the group’s largest selling album.

The following years were marked by the group changing labels several times. They moved from RCA in 1985 to Motown in 1991 and finally to SBK Records in 1992. Releases in this period included the platinum Contact (1985), Hot Together (1986) and Only Sisters Can Do That (1993).

Several of the group’s tracks have been used successfully in films, notably the gold Slow Hand which was used in both Taps (1981) and Partners (1982), and 1984’s Neutron Dance which was used in Beverley Hills Cop.

Throughout their career the girls toured extensively, from NY’s Carnegie Hall to the Persian Gulf. In between they also acted in the film Carwash in 1976 and hosted their own TV show in 1987.

The group has earned several honours over the years. Besides several American Music Awards, they have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 2005.

June Pointer passed away in 2006 suffering from cancer. Ruth and Anita continue to perform with the group now including Issa, Ruth’s daughter. The Pointer Sisters’ appealing mix of pop and soul continues to delight.

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