Singer June Pointer dies of cancer at age 52

[masher 3]

Probably only the older members will know who she is...
I love her music...that band is one of my favorite, they are also from Oakland, they were in San Francisco for the New Year Party in 2004...they were awesome...just awesome...I'm rarely ever interested in the death of a celebrity, but this is just so sad...her energy on stage was teh best...why can't Kanye west, Ashley simpson or 50 cents die instead of all these good artists??? Why?!!

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - June Pointer, youngest of the four Pointer Sisters who went from teenage gospel singers to the top of the pops with such hits of the 1970s and 80s as "Fire," "Slow Hand" and "I'm So Excited," has died of cancer at age 52, a family spokesman said on Wednesday.

Two sisters, Ruth and Anita, and two brothers, Aaron and Fritz, were at her side at the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica when she died, the spokesman said.

Her third sister, Bonnie, was unable to be present, the spokesman added. The type of cancer was not disclosed.

The sisters learned to sing in the choir of a church in West Oakland, California, where their parents were ministers. They began as a quartet in the 1970s and become a trio when their sister Bonnie left to pursue a solo career.

"The Pointer Sisters," their first album, was issued in 1973 with what turned out to be their first hit, "Yes We Can Can," a cover of an Allen Toussaint song. Two years later they topped the R&B charts with "How Long (Betcha' Got A Chick on the Side)."

Their second album, "That's A Plenty" in 1974, included a country and western tune "Fairytale," which led to their winning the first of their three Grammys, this one for best country vocal performance by a group.

Thanks to that song, they became the first black female group to sing at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. "Fairytale" was later covered by Elvis Presley.

Bonnie left the group in the late 1970s to follow a solo career and the sisters became a trio making several successful albums, most notably 1984's "Break Out" which won two Grammy awards and contained the hit "Neutron Dance," featured in the film "Beverly Hills Cop."

It was not the first time that a Pointer Sister song made the movies -- in 1976 they appeared with Richard Pryor in the movie "Car Wash" which had their singing "You Gotta Believe" on the soundtrack.

The sisters' cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire" was also a major hit for the trio.

In 2004, June Pointer, who made two albums as a solo artist, was charged with cocaine possession and placed in a rehabilitation program.

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I'm sad...R.I.P

[Meg 368]

Of course I know who she is.  It's sad to lose people like this.

If you don't know the Pointer Sisters, you might have seen their brother Aaron.  He is an NFL official.

[Voar Tok 4]

My mom listens to the Oldies a lot, so I might have heard of them (couldn't say for sure though).

[SamFlash 0]

Originally posted by: Voar Tok My mom listens to the Oldies a lot, so I might have heard of them (couldn't say for sure though).quote>

 

You sure know how to make a guy feel old Voar.  It's sad to see so many of the ones I've enjoyed through the years go especially since there is only a small handful of the new artists that I like taking their place.

[Micah 16]

^ Yeah, even though I didn't know who she was, I just heard her on the radio. Sad to hear music legends die.

[MrCinatit 30]

Originally posted by: SamFlash

Originally posted by: Voar Tok My mom listens to the Oldies a lot, so I might have heard of them (couldn't say for sure though).quote>

 

You sure know how to make a guy feel old Voar.  It's sad to see so many of the ones I've enjoyed through the years go especially since there is only a small handful of the new artists that I like taking their place.quote>

 

I feel your pain - i felt like i aged several decades after reading that, Voar

I remember June and her sisters quite fondly. Had a bit of a teenage crush on them.

I was not aware, however, that their brother was an NFL ref.

[Voar Tok 4]

Originally posted by: MrCinatit

Originally posted by: SamFlash

Originally posted by: Voar Tok My mom listens to the Oldies a lot, so I might have heard of them (couldn't say for sure though).quote>

 

You sure know how to make a guy feel old Voar.quote>

 

I feel your pain - i felt like i aged several decades after reading that, Voar quote>

Oops.

After doing a little looking on the internet, I do remember listening to one of there songs once.  It's kind of sad when someone just dies like that.