Anita Pointer, a well-known singer, and composer died of cancer on December 31 at the age of 74. She was well known as the originator of The Pointer Sisters, a singing ensemble. Her family members released an official statement in which they expressed their joy that she is now with her daughter Jada and sisters June and Bonnie.
The message went on to say:
“She was the one who held all of us together for so long. Her devotion to our family lives on in each of us. Please respect our privacy at this difficult time. With Anita there, heaven is a more caring and lovely place.”
Roger Neal, Pointer’s publicist, confirmed that the late artist was in her home at the time of her death. The former also said that she died gently, surrounded by her family.
Twitter users express their respects to Anita Pointer upon her death.
Anita Pointer, a beloved artist, rose to prominence as a singer-songwriter and a member of the music group The Pointer Sisters. When word of her death spread, Twitter was inundated with tributes.
Take a look at some of these tweets:
Farewell to legend Anita Pointer (January 23, 1948 – December 31, 2022) founding member of the Pointer Sisters. Her vocals shone in this live performance of their powerful anthem Yes We Can Can (1973) https://t.co/bCuVXH5i8g written by Allen Toussaint. #soul #funk #AnitaPointer pic.twitter.com/LUKW7mIpXj
— DJ Moon Ra (@JointzOfTheDay) January 1, 2023
I can’t believe we’re kicking off 2023 with yet another LEGENDARY light gone
One time for Anita Pointer
Phenomenal career, ICONIC group
RIP Queen 🕊 #ThePointerSisters pic.twitter.com/L47SAESbN0
— Eric Beignét (@FranciskoMayne) January 1, 2023
Anita Pointer rose to prominence as the originator of The Pointer Sisters.
Anita, who was born on January 23, 1948, was a member of The Pointer Sisters, who established in 1970. The group’s first several singles were not well received, but one of them, Send Him Back, became a classic. The group’s debut album, published in 1973, was an immediate smash, reaching the top of the Billboard charts. That’s a Plenty was released the next year, while Steppin’ was released in 1975. Their fourth album, Having a Party, was likewise a success, charting at 176th on the US Billboard Top LPs and 51st on the US Billboard Top Soul LPs.
In 1976, they released The Best of the Pointer Sisters, a compilation album. In 1978, the trio signed with Planet Records and released the album Energy. Priority, their sixth album, was released in 1979. The group rose to prominence in the 1980s, with hits such as He’s So Shy, Slow Hand, Automatic, Jump (For My Love), Neutron Dance, and others reaching the top of the Billboard charts. They left Planet Records and proceeded to release a few projects that were not commercially successful.
The Pointer Sisters continued to travel and play on various occasions. They released an album titled The Pointer Sisters – Live in Billing in 2004, and other musicians covered their most popular tunes. They have been featured on TV series such as Celebrity Duets and The Early Show and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005.