R.I.P.: Bonnie Pointer, Founding Member Of the Pointer Sisters

Bonnie Pointer

Bonnie Pointer, who in 1969 convinced three of her church-singing siblings to form the Pointer Sisters, which would become one of the biggest acts of the next two decades, died from cardiac arrest Monday. She was 69, according to CBS News.

Bonnie Pointer often sang lead and was an essential member of the group through its early hits including "Yes We Can Can" and "Fairytale." She would leave for a short and modest solo career in 1977 as her sisters went on to have several mega-hits without her.

Ruth, Anita, Bonnie and June, born the daughters of a minister who also had two older sons, grew up singing in his church in Oakland, California.

"The Pointer Sisters would never have happened had it not been for Bonnie," Anita Pointer said in her statement.

She convinced younger sister June to join her, and the two began doing gigs together as a duo in 1969. Eventually they'd enlist their two older sisters, who were already married with children, to join them.

The quartet brought unique fusion of funk, soul and 1940s-style jazz, scat and pop to their act, often dressing in a retro style that resembled their forerunners the Andrews Sisters.

They worked as backup singers for Taj Mahal, Boz Scaggs, Elvin Bishop and others before releasing their self-titled debut album in 1973, and the song "Yes We Can Can," a funky anthem calling for unity and tolerance, became their breakout hit.

They followed up with "That's A Plenty," which featured an eclectic mix of musical styles ranging from jazz to gospel to pop.

They even delved into country. Bonnie and Anita co-wrote the song "Fairytale" about a crumbling relationship. The song earned them a groundbreaking gig performing as a rare African American act at the Grand Ole Opry, and they would win their first Grammy, for best country vocal performance by a group.


Bonnie Pointer left the group in 1977, signing a solo deal with Motown Records.

She would have only modest solo success. Her biggest hit was "Heaven Must Have Sent You," a 1979 disco cover of an earlier Motown hit by the Elgins. It reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.

After making three albums for Motown, she would retire from the studio, and only perform occasionally.

Her three sisters, who had nearly disbanded when she quit, instead regrouped, shed their retro image for a modern pop sound, and became one of the biggest acts of the 1980s with huge hits including "He's So Shy," "Jump (For My Love)" and "Neutron Dance."