June Pointer
June Antoinette Pointer (November 30, 1953 – April 11, 2006) was an American singer, best known as the youngest of the founding members of the vocal group The Pointer Sisters.
Born the youngest of six children to minister parents Reverend Elton and Sarah Pointer, June shared a love of singing with her sisters. In 1969, she and sister Bonnie founded The Pointers – A Pair. The duo sang at numerous clubs, then became a trio later that year when sister Anita quit her job as a secretary to join them. The group officially changed its name to The Pointer Sisters. The trio signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and released a few singles, none of which made a substantial impact on the music charts. In 1972, sister Ruth joined the group, making it a quartet. The sisters then signed with Blue Thumb Records, and their career began to take off.
Releasing their self-titled debut album in 1973, the Pointer Sisters found immediate fame with hits such as "Yes We Can Can" and "Wang Dang Doodle." Subsequent albums boasted top-charting songs such as "Fairytale," "How Long (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side)" and "You Gotta Believe." June left the group in November 1975 due to health problems as she was advised to retire due to extreme mental and physical exhaustion; Bonnie Pointer exited from the group to forge a solo career in 1977.
Upon June's return, the remaining sisters found huge success, reaching the Top 10 in early 1979 with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire"; that began a string of hits which included "Happiness," "He's So Shy" (1980), "Slow Hand" (1981), "American Music," "Should I Do It" and "I'm So Excited." In 1983, the group released what would be their biggest album to date, Break Out. It included the Top 10 hits "Automatic"; "Jump (For My Love)"; a re-release of "I'm So Excited", which became a bigger hit than when originally released in 1982; and "Neutron Dance." Subsequent albums spawned hits such as "Dare Me," "Freedom" and "Goldmine." (Pointer sang lead vocals on several of the group's top singles, including "Happiness," "He's So Shy", "Jump (For My Love)", "Baby Come And Get It" and "Dare Me.")
Eventually, June ventured into a solo career while staying with the Pointer Sisters; she released the Baby Sister album in 1983 (it scored a modest hit with "Ready for Some Action", #28 R&B) and a self-titled effort in 1989 (its charting single was "Tight On Time (Fit U In), #70 R&B)." June also performed the song "Little Boy Sweet" for the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation. In 1987, she scored a top 5 pop single with Bruce Willis with a cover of the Staples Singers' "Respect Yourself." She also gained notoriety for posing for Playboy magazine in 1985. In September 1994, the Pointer Sisters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ...
Source: Article "June Pointer" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 4.841 |
Birthday | 1953-11-30 |
Place of Birth | Oakland, California, USA |
Also Known As | June Antoinette Pointer, The Pointer Sisters, The Pointers, |
1983
Suzanne Somers... And 10,000 G.I.s
0/0
A variety special starring Suzanne Somers as she entertains Army and Air Force personnel at Ramstein Air Base in Kaiserslautern, West Germany.
Watch Now
Suzanne Somers... And 10,000 G.I.s
1991
Voices That Care
8/2
Behind the scenes making of the charity single "Voices That Care".
Watch Now
Voices That Care
1991
Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia
0/0
Three years after taping his previous show in the Persian Gulf, Bob Hope returns to the front line to put on another USO Christmas extravaganza, this...
Watch Now
Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia
1985
Night of 100 Stars II
8/2
This special is the second "Night of 100 Stars" to benefit The Actors Fund of America. Edited from a seven-hour live entertainment marathon that was t...
Watch Now
Night of 100 Stars II
1985
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
8.5/12
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song is a documentary which examines how the song was written, how producer Quincy Jones and songwriters Michae...
Watch Now
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
1987
The Pointer Sisters: Up All Nite
10/1
In this television special, after wrapping up a concert tour and missing their flights home, The Pointer Sisters decide to spend a night on the town i...
Watch Now
The Pointer Sisters: Up All Nite
1976
Car Wash
6/103
This day-in-the-life cult comedy focuses on a group of friends working at Sully Boyar's Car Wash in the Los Angeles ghetto. The team meets dozens of e...
Watch Now
Car Wash
1985
Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration
7/1
Broadcast on NBC February 18, 1985, the Disneyland 30th Anniversary Celebration was hosted by John Forsythe and Drew Barrymore. The special is a look...
Watch Now