Monday, January 23, 2023

Royal Oakland: Anita Pointer 75

 

Pointer Sisters - Slow Hand


The last week of the year's first month is here, and Anita witness.

So we shall bust out with not one, but two irreplaceable ladies with that first name to close out January.

Let's begin in that other city by the Bay, that thanks to people like today's birthday girl isn't just all in the SF shadow all the time anymore.

She passed away last month, just shy of the milestone b'day she'd have reached today, but not before leading one of the most beloved groups ever to some of their most indelible tracks.

Most of their really big hits, she's the primary vocalist.

Including the first one, a cover of the Lee Dorsey song "Yes We Can Can" that put The Pointer Sisters on the map.

That was 50 years ago, and the intervening decades have seen them become one of the biggest vocal groups ever to rock the mic.

As big a reason for that success as any of them has to be Anita Pointer, born this day in 1948.

She may have left us last New Year's Eve, but the music she left us will last well beyond the lifetimes of anyone currently breathing.

For those looking for evidence, I will suggest the 50 minutes that follows as Exhibit A.


The Pointer Sisters
The Metro
Boston, Massachussetts USA
5.2.1984

01 WW1 promo
02 WW1 intro
03 WW1 promo: Jeffrey Osborne
04 You're My Happiness
05 Slow Hand
06 WW1 break
07 He's So Shy
08 band introductions
09 Fire
10 Automatic
11 WW1 break
12 Heartbeat
13 Get Your Lady Back
14 WW1 promo: Patti LaBelle
15 WW1 break
16 I'm So Excited
17 Jump
18 WW1 outro

Total time: 49:33

Ruth Pointer - vocals 
Anita Pointer - vocals 
June Pointer - vocals
Joe Mumford - guitar 
Mike White - drums
Eric McKain - percussion 
Marc Ritter - piano & synthesizers 
Greg Whelchel - synthesizers & keyboards 
Don Boyette - bass guitar & bass synthesizer

sourced from the Westwood One "Startrak Profiles Pop Concert" pre-FM vinyl * the WW1 announcer is Phil Hendrie * first aired 6.17.1985
slightly retracked -- with volume increased +1.75 dB throughout -- by EN, January 2023
320 MB FLAC/direct link


I'll be right on back on Thursday with another Anita -- with yet another milestone birthday, and this one's even still alive! -- for your Soul Songstress section.

But before that happens, it's a 75th birthday celebration, in memoriam for Miss Anita. Look at you, you know you're so excited!--J.


1.23.1948 - 12.31.2022