The Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters have never been easy to categorize, with roots in Country, R&B, Gospel, Jazz, Soul, and Pop.
In 1995 they starred in a dazzling all new production of the multi-award winning hit Broadway musical Ain’ t Misbehavin to critical acclaim. This was just another of the many firsts these extraordinary vocalists have experienced in their phenomenal twenty-five year career.
Not content to rest on their past successes, The Pointers keep reaching for the stars. They have just completed recording Christmas Town, a single to be included on the soundtrack of the animated feature Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer which was released for the holidays.
In 1994, they burned up the country charts with Chain of Fools, their smash duet with Clint Black, which went platinum and was nominated for Best Song of The Year by the Country Music Association. In September of 1994, The Pointers received two great honors. They were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame as a tribute to their continued success and they were invited to perform a special concert at the White House for the President and Mrs. Clinton.
Recently The Pointers had the honor of performing in the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was wet but fun! In 1996 they had a ball with some of their fellow legends like Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan and many others performing for the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
They also performed in three television specials: Up All Night for NBC, A Gospel Christmas with The Pointers and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (A &E), and Pop Goes the Fourth with the Boston Pop’s (A&E). Pop Goes the Fourth was nominated for a Cable ACE Award in the category of Best Performing Arts Special or Series.
Continuously in demand as international musical superstars, The Pointers headlined a hectic schedule of world wide concert dates, which recently took them to Germany, Austria, France, Thailand and Australia. The Pointers have also performed in concert with some of the world’s most prestigious symphony orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the Louisville Symphony, the Knoxville Symphony, and The Boston Pops which was also aired as a musical special on A&E.
One look at their Grammy Awards confirms that The Pointers have always been mavericks. Nominated ten times, they’ve taken home three in widely varied categories: Best Country Vocal Group (for Fairytale), Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo (for Jump) and Best Vocal Arrangement (for Automatic). Growing up and singing together in Oakland, California, The Pointers, Ruth, Anita, and Bonnie, honed their set the-house-afire technique at the West Oakland Church of God where their father was the minister. But unlike most rhythm & blues performers whose expertise is limited to gospel style testifying The Pointer’s proved themselves of a wider range of musical mastery that included jazzy scat singing and country crooning.
It wasn’t long before their versatility was noticed and music luminaries like Dave Mason, Alvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs and Grace Slick were soliciting their vocal services. Soon The Pointers began making their own mark on popular music with a long string of hits starting with their funky interpretation of Allen Toussaint’s Yes We Can Can. Fairytale, a tune penned by Anita and Bonnie, was a crossover country hit and the group became the first black female group to perform at The Grand Ole Opry.
Continuing their groundbreaking tradition, The Pointers were also one of the first black female groups to headline in Las Vegas. Their smash hit, How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side), established The Pointers as a musical force to be reckoned with.
Soundtrack/Filmography
- Love Actually (2003) (performer: “Jump (For My Love)”)
- Maid in Manhattan (2002) (performer: “Yes We Can Can”)
- AKA Made in New York (USA: poster title)
- The Trip (2002/I) (performer: “Jump (For My Love)”)
- Ali (2001) (performer: “Yes We Can Can”)
- Big Momma’s House (2000) (performer: “Yes We Can”)
- Big Mamas Haus (Germany)
- “Jackass” (2000) TV Series (performer: “I’m So Excited”)
- The Story of Us (1999) (performer: “I’m So Excited”)
- Donnie Brasco (1997) (performer: “Happiness” (1978))
- The Associate (1996) (performer: “Yes We Can Can”)
- “With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America” (1996) (mini) TV Series (performer: “We Are Family”)
- Two If by Sea (1996) (performer: “You Got Me Hummin'”)
- AKA Stolen Hearts
- Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) (performer: “I’m so excited”)
- Hot Shots! 2 (Australia)
- American Heart (1992) (performer: “Slow Hand”)
- The Midnight Special (1992) (performer: “That’s a Plenty/Surfeit U.S.A.”, “Old Songs”, “Salt Peanuts”)
- Ricochet (1991) (“Automatic”)
- The Karate Kid, Part III (1989) (performer: “SUMMER IN THE CITY”)
- Working Girl (1988) (performer: “I’M SO EXCITED”)
- Action Jackson (1988) (performer: “HE TURNED ME OUT”)
- Stakeout (1987) (performer: “Hot Together”)
- Spaceballs (1987) (performer: “Hot Together”)
- The Return of the Six-Million-Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1987) (TV) (“Automatic”)
- Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986) (performer: “Set Me Free”)
- Playing for Keeps (1986) (performer: “I’M SO EXCITED”)
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984) (performer: “Neutron Dance”)
- “Miami Vice”
– No Exit (1984) TV Episode (performer: “Jump (For My Love)”) - Grandview, U.S.A. (1984) (performer: “I Want To Do It With You”)
- Bagets (1984) (performer: “Jump (for my love)”)
- Vacation (1983) (performer: “I’M SO EXCITED”)
- National Lampoon’s Vacation (UK) (USA: complete title)
- American Vacation (Europe: English title: video title)
- Night Shift (1982) (performer: “The Love Too Good To Last”)
- Summer Lovers (1982) (performer: “I’m So Excited”)
- “Sesame Street” (1969) TV Series (performer: “PINBALL NUMBER COUNT”)
- Canadian Sesame Street (Canada: English title)
- Open Sesame (New Zealand: English title: new syndication title)
- Sesame Park (Canada: English title)
- The New Sesame Street (USA: new syndication title)
Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.