Anita Pointer, the singer best known as a member of the family group the Pointer Sisters, died on December 31 at age 74, following a battle with cancer that was “somewhat lengthy and heroic,†her rep told TMZ.
“While we are deeply saddened by the loss of Anita, we are comforted in knowing she is now with her daughter, Jada and her sisters June & Bonnie and at peace,†Anita’s sister and Pointer Sisters bandmate Ruth said in a statement with their brothers Aaron and Fritz. “She was the one that kept all of us close and together for so long. Her love of our family will live on in each of us. Please respect our privacy during this period of grief and loss. Heaven is a more loving beautiful place with Anita there.†As noted in the statement, Anita Pointer’s death follows those of her sisters and bandmates June Pointer in 2006 and Bonnie Pointer in 2020.
The Pointer Sisters first received widespread recognition in 1974, following the release of their album That’s a Plenty, which included the country song “Fairytale.†Marking this early success, the Pointer Sisters became the first Black female group to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and they won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance. The group’s biggest hits came in the early 1980s with songs including “He’s So Shy,†“Slow Hand,†“Automatic,†“Jump (For My Love),†“I’m So Excited,†and “Neutron Dance†all reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1987, the Pointer Sisters starred in their own prime-time special on NBC called Up All Night, featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Bruce Willis, and the McGuire Sisters.