At the 1974 Grammy Awards, the award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or a Group went to The Pointer Sisters. Their recording of “Fairytale,” written by sisters Anita and Bonnie Pointer and also nominated for Best Country Song, bested recordings by Willie and Tracy Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, Bobby Bare and Bobby Bare Jr. and The Statler Brothers. (Only family acts were nominated that year.) That same year The Pointer Sisters became the first African-American vocal act to perform at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry.
Country wasn’t the only genre at which the sisters excelled. They’re best known for their many pop hits, r&b hits and dance hits. They also performed and recorded jazz, bebop, gospel, funk and rock.
Today Tunes du Jour celebrates the birthday of Anita Pointer with a small sampling of tracks on which she sang lead.