Anita Pointer, one of the four sisters members of the formation “The Pointer Sisters”, died Saturday at the age of 74, announced her publicist.
The singer passed away surrounded by family members. The cause of his death was not immediately revealed.
Anita, Ruth, Bonnie and June Pointer, daughters of a pastor, grew up singing in their father’s church in Oakland, California.
The band’s self-titled debut album, released in 1973, included the hit “Yes We Can Can.” Known for songs like “I’m So Excited,” “Slow Hand,” “Neutron Dance,” and “Jump (For My Love),” the singers earned a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1994 .
The 1983 album “Break Out” was certified triple platinum and won two American Music Awards. The group won three Grammys and saw 13 of their songs break into the top 20 in the United States between 1973 and 1985.
The Pointer Sisters were also the first African-American group to perform on the Grand Ole Opry program and the first contemporary act to perform at the San Francisco Opera.
“While we are deeply saddened by the loss of Anita, we are comforted to know that she is now with her daughter Jada and her sisters June and Bonnie. She was the one who kept us close and together for so long,” her sister Ruth, brothers Aaron and Fritz, and granddaughter Roxie McKain Pointer recalled in a statement.
Anita Pointer’s only daughter, Jada Pointer, died in 2003.