Founding member of the Pointer Sisters, Anita Pointer, has died following a cancer battle, according to her publicist Roger Neal. The star, who was responsible for a number of hits in the 1970s and ’80s with her sibling group, died in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve.
The famous songstress was surrounded by family at the time of her death, which came just two years after her sister and group co-founder Bonnie Pointer, who died in 2020.
“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,” her family shared in a statement.
“Heaven is a more loving, beautiful place with Anita there.
“She was the one that kept all of us close and together for so long.
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“Her love of our family will live on in each of us,” the statement concluded, before requesting that fans respect her family’s privacy.
The Pointer Sisters formed when Bonnie and June Pointer started performing in clubs in 1969.
Their sister Anita soon joined them and the group became a trio, before sister Ruth Pointer expanded the band into a quartet in 1972.
The band rose to prominence in the 1970s, but had its greatest commercial success in the 1980s.
At around this time, founding sister Bonnie pursued a solo career, while June, Ruth, and Anita continued performing as a trio.
The group are best remembered for such hits as 1984’s I’m So Excited and Grammy-winning song Jump (For My Love).
They also won a Grammy for their song Automatic, and their other top 10 hits included 1979’s Fire, 1980’s He’s So Shy and 1985’s Neutron Dance.
The group took home their first Grammy Award in 1975 for Best Country Vocal Performance for their track Fairytale.
Altogether, The Pointer Sisters have had 13 US top 20 hits between 1973 and 1985.
They also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994.
Youngest sister June Pointer left the group in 2004 due to her ill health, before her death that followed two years later in 2006.
She was replaced by Ruth’s daughter Issa Pointer, and the new trio had a number two hit in Belgium in 2005, after they covered Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves with Belgian singer Natalia.
Anita’s daughter Jada died in 2003, leaving her to take over raising her granddaughter, Roxie McKain Pointer.
In 2015, Anita was forced to retire due to ill health, leaving Ruth as the only original member of the group in the line-up.
In recent years, last-surviving sister Ruth has performed with daughter Issa and granddaughter Sadako.
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