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