Anita Pointer of the hit musical group The Pointer sisters has died aged 74, according to an announcement made by her publicist. 

While a cause of death has not been revealed yet, Pointer’s publicist has announced that she died in the company of her family members.

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The Pointer family later released a statement in which they said, “While we are deeply saddened by the loss of Anita, we are comforted in knowing she is now with her daughter Jada and her sisters June & Bonnie and at peace. She was the one that kept all of us close and together for so long”.

Who was Anita Pointer?

Anita Pointer was born on January 22, 1948 to Sarah Elizabeth and Reverend Elton Pointer. She had five siblings. Although the Pointers lived in Oakland, California, they often travelled to Arkansas, her parents’ native place.

Besides June and Bonnie, her bandmates, Anita has two other well-known relatives. Her brother, Aaron, played for the MLB and later joined the NFL as a referee.  Paul Silas, the NBA legend, is her cousin.

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The would-be singer-songwriter attended McRae School through her elementary, junior high, and high school years, after which she took up a job as a secretary.

The Pointer Sisters began getting noticed after their hit 1973 single, Yes We Can, performed well on the Billboard charts. The sisters soon performed at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, becoming the first group of black women to do so.

The singers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. They are known for hit songs like I’m So Excited, Slow Hand, Neutron Dance, and Jump (For My Love).

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Break Out, an album released in 1983, went triple platinum and won two American Music Awards. Between 1973 and 1985, the trio had 13 U.S. top 20 hit songs and won three Grammy Awards, according to Pointer’s publicist.