Earlier this morning CNN reported that June Pointer has passed. June was the youngest of the Pointer Sisters, certainly one of the most influential vocal groups of the '70s and '80s and enjoyed a huge gay following. "I'm not gay, but I don't like labels, anyway. Why can't we just be a human race?" June said in a famous 1996 interview where she addressed rumors about her own sexuality.
The younger queers today may only remember the Pointer Sisters for 80s tracks like "I'm So Excited" or "Neutron Dance", but they began charting in the very early 70s with that fierce "Yes We Can Can." The act had several country singles, won an Grammy in that category, and, were also the first black female singers to appear at the Grand Ole Opry. Today their music would probably be classified as "crossover."
In recent years, June's substance abuse problems became headline fodder—apaprently, that was the reason behind her 2000 dismissal from the group. In 2005, she was arrested on possession charges. The family says June had been hospitalized since February with a non-specified cancer. She reportedly died with her family at her side at a Los Angeles hopsital. June Pointer was 52 years old.
June Pointer, Youngest Pointer Sisters, Dies (CNN)
An Interview with June Pointer (Blase DiStefano)
Pointer Sisters (Wikipedia)
THEY ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE GROUPS OF ALL TIME!
THE POINTERS HAD/HAVE EXTRAORDINARY VOCAL ARRANGEMENTS AND STUNNING HARMONIES. THE THING ABOUT THE GROUP THAT I LOVED MOST WAS THE WAY THAT THEY ROTATED LEAD VOCALS:
JUNE ON "JUMP"
ANITA ON "I'M SO EXCITED"
RUTH ON "AUTOMATIC"
THEY WERE BRILLIANT IN THEIR ABILITY TO WEAVE JAZZ ("JADA"), POP ("SLOW HAND") and COUNTRY ("FAIRYTALE") INTO THEIR VAST REPERTOIRE!
JUNE POINTER WILL BE MISSED! WHAT A SAD SHAME!!! THEY WERE AMONG THE BEST AND EVEN THOUGH RUTH AND ANITA ARE STILL DOING IT WELL WITH A NEW (DAUGHTER) MEMBER, THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 12 April 2006 at 15:31
I know we can make it. I know that we can. I know darn well; we can work it out. Yes we can, can.
Posted by: gene | 12 April 2006 at 18:54
that's so sad to hear about this! i don't know "Yes We Can Can" but will definitely look it up. I just danced to the "Neutron Dance" this past New Year's Eve and have always been a fan of "Automatic."
Posted by: hot lunch | 12 April 2006 at 22:40
now you know when they say "cancer" especially non-specified... AIDS pops up. Maybe June in her drug abusing days used a tainted needle?
Hmmm, we may never know.
Posted by: NG | 17 April 2006 at 21:46