Anita, founding member of Pointer Sisters, dies at 74

American singer Anita Pointer, who enjoyed success with her sisters in the rhythm and blues group “Pointer Sisters” in the 1970s and 1980s, died of cancer on Saturday at the age of 74, her agent announced.

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“I am saddened to announce that my Grammy Award-winning client Anita Pointer has passed away after a heroic battle with cancer,” Roger Neill posted on Instagram.

He died on New Year’s Eve at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family, he told CNN.

“While deeply saddened by the loss of Anita, we are comforted and relieved to know that she is now with her daughter Jada and her sisters June and Bonnie,” the Pointer family said in a statement.

Based in Oakland, California, the group was originally formed by Anita and her sisters June (died April 2006), Bonnie (died June 2020) and later Ruth. They began singing at the church their father pastored in Oakland.

The Pointer Sisters, initially marked by jazz, bebop and gospel, released their debut album in 1973 and won three Grammy Awards during their career. Their foray into country music in 1975 with the song “Fairytale” earned them a No. 1 spot, and they were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry’s Hall of Fame in Nashville, the first for black artists.

The band grew to three members after Bonnie left in 1977 to pursue a solo career.

That didn’t stop the Pointer sisters from ramping up their hits in the early 1980s — “Fire,” “He’s So Shy,” “Slow Hand” or “I’m So Excited” –, a talent oscillating between nods. Skate and disco in the 1940s.

Although their popularity waned in the late 1980s, the Pointer sisters continued to perform in concert. June Pointer left the group in 2004 and was replaced by Ruth’s daughter Isa.