During promotion for her new book, Ruth Pointer has said that her sister Anita has left the group because of health problems. But Anita has never commented about her absence from the lineup. Now, I'm hearing Ruth and Anita had beef, and Anita walked out. Anyone else have any tea?

It's sad, because sister June passed away 10 years ago and without Anita, Ruth is performing with her daughter and granddaughter. That's hardly the Pointer Sisters.

That is bad news , I really like The Pointer Sisters Automatic and Slow Hand are my fav songs of theirs.

It sounds like Anita bowed out, but she's probably getting a cut as a co-owner of the group.

dalsh327 said:

It sounds like Anita bowed out, but she's probably getting a cut as a co-owner of the group.

Hey, that's possible. Let's hope so. I've met all of the Pointers at one time or another, and she was lovely. June (RIP) was the warmest and most down-to-earth, in my opinion.

Goddess4Real said:

That is bad news , I really like The Pointer Sisters Automatic and Slow Hand are my fav songs of theirs.

Those are both good ones

Ruth gave a great interview on Big mouth Wendy Williams...It sounds like she did a REAL auto-biography and was not afraid to talk about the good and the very Bad...The Pointer Sisters should have been nominated for The Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame a long time ago..

jtrichie said:

During promotion for her new book

I just picked Ruth's book up at Barnes & Noble while on my American holiday this month. I couldn't find it anywhere in my city. Has anyone else read it? I haven't started it yet as I was finishing up another musician's autobiography (Tracy Thorn).

Cinny said:

jtrichie said:

During promotion for her new book

I just picked Ruth's book up at Barnes & Noble while on my American holiday this month. I couldn't find it anywhere in my city. Has anyone else read it? I haven't started it yet as I was finishing up another musician's autobiography (Tracy Thorn).

I haven't read the whole thing, but I browsed through enough of it to know she definitely doesn't whitewash or sugarcoat the not-so-nice parts of her life. So I second Chancellor's comment about Ruth coming clean about her past life with her sisters and away from them. Her relationship with Dennis Edwards of the Temptations is a good read by itself.

[Edited 5/27/16 12:51pm]

And let's not forget, they covered "I Feel For You", on 1982's So Excited.

But yeah, there's always some falling out like this, and it's just so cliché.

"Automatic", "So Excited", "Dare Me" are a few of my favorites.

And don't forget this great song from Action Jackson film soundtrack. The video featured Vanity (RIP) and Carl Weathers https://www.youtube.com/w...TFlHzjqaxI

Im gonna pick this up from the library to read on the way to work

I'm gonna have to get that book,too you guys got me wanting to read it!

I read it. It's a page turner. There was so much going on in thier lives- I couldn't stop reading it. It was very sad to read about all the problems June had. She was raped when she was young and had issues from that her whole life, the drugs just made it worse.

Then Bonnie's situation with drugs and the husband and selling stories to the tabloids and fighting with her sisters. And I didn't realize Ruth had such a bad drug problem too.

But in the end, she and Anita made it through. It was not an easy life- even when they were at the top.

[Edited 5/28/16 19:27pm]

Cinny said:

jtrichie said:

During promotion for her new book

I just picked Ruth's book up at Barnes & Noble while on my American holiday this month. I couldn't find it anywhere in my city. Has anyone else read it? I haven't started it yet as I was finishing up another musician's autobiography (Tracy Thorn).

I've read it. I found some of it interesting -- I liked hearing details about their recordings, for one -- but a lot of it was patchwork taken from other sources. Like, most of the Pointer Sisters' albums were reissued by Big Break Records -- and each featured extensive liner notes with interviews with Ruth and Anita. And many parts of Ruth's book literally came straight from the album liner notes! Oy vey...

jtrichie said:

Cinny said:

I just picked Ruth's book up at Barnes & Noble while on my American holiday this month. I couldn't find it anywhere in my city. Has anyone else read it? I haven't started it yet as I was finishing up another musician's autobiography (Tracy Thorn).

I've read it. I found some of it interesting -- I liked hearing details about their recordings, for one -- but a lot of it was patchwork taken from other sources. Like, most of the Pointer Sisters' albums were reissued by Big Break Records -- and each featured extensive liner notes with interviews with Ruth and Anita. And many parts of Ruth's book literally came straight from the album liner notes! Oy vey...

Probably was from the same interviews as well as the same experience. There's usually only one truth about how a song came together. I know I have ready about the making of Notorious BIG's albums enough times to tell the stories myself.

Just got back from their Melbourne show. Frankly, I don't think they've sounded better. I know it's not the original line-up, but they're pretty damn solid and Ruth is stunning!

[Edited 6/4/16 10:57am]

getxxxx said:

Thank you!!

bluegangsta said:

Just got back from their Melbourne show. Frankly, I don't think they've sounded better. I know it's not the original line-up, but they're pretty damn solid and Ruth is stunning!

Was Anita there? I wonder what most concertgoers think of seeing just one original member. I keep thinking the group needs to start calling itself The Pointer Family or something...they're not the Pointer Sisters anymore.

I saw them back in the day, can't remember if it was the three of them or four -- fabulous performers! Great great songs. I still play their "Yes We Can Can" disc often. Includes Betcha Got Chick on the Side, Black Coffee, Steam Heat etc. Amazing mix of songs and styles, even a country song on their which was a chart hit for them.

jtrichie said:

bluegangsta said:

Just got back from their Melbourne show. Frankly, I don't think they've sounded better. I know it's not the original line-up, but they're pretty damn solid and Ruth is stunning!

Was Anita there? I wonder what most concertgoers think of seeing just one original member. I keep thinking the group needs to start calling itself The Pointer Family or something...they're not the Pointer Sisters anymore.

Just Ruth. While I kind of agree, the concert was so good, it didn't matter who was there.

Finished the book. This was a good read like the LA REID book. I can see this being turned into a TV Movie on Lifetime/TV One. June was a mess and Im sure Bonnie is still is. The fact she has overcome her demons is amazing. Dennis Edwards wow wow wow.

As far as the OP and the break up. I'm sure Anita needed to take a long well deserved break for health reasons as mentioned in the book.

They made me pointy back in the day.

getxxxx said:

Finished the book. This was a good read like the LA REID book. I can see this being turned into a TV Movie on Lifetime/TV One. June was a mess and Im sure Bonnie is still is. The fact she has overcome her demons is amazing. Dennis Edwards wow wow wow.

As far as the OP and the break up. I'm sure Anita needed to take a long well deserved break for health reasons as mentioned in the book.

It didn't say anything about Anita having health problems in the book -- that's why I posed the question in this thread. Ruth only said in TV interviews (Wendy Williams, for one) that Anita's illness has forced her out of the group -- it doesn't say that in the book, and Anita has never said that herself. Anita has been making Youtube videos for fans and has never addressed her health or why she's not performing with the group now.

[Edited 8/8/16 18:19pm]