The singer was surrounded by her family at the time of her death.
Anita Pointer has died. The GRAMMY-winning founding member of The Pointer Sisters died surrounded by her family on New Year's Eve, her publicist, Roger Neal, said in a press release. She was 74.
Anita, whose daughter, Jada, died in 2003, was remembered by her surviving family -- her sister, Ruth, brothers, Aaron and Fritz, and granddaughter, Roxie McKain Pointer -- in a statement.
"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 and Bonnie and at peace," the family's statement read. "She was the one that kept all of us close and together for so long. Her love of our family will live on in each of us. Please respect our privacy during this period of grief and loss. Heaven is a more loving beautiful place with Anita there."
Anita was born in Oakland, California, in 1948, the fourth of six children. In 1969, she quit her job as a secretary to form The Pointer Sisters with her sisters, Bonnie, June and Ruth. The group's self-titled debut album came out in 1973. The next year, they won a GRAMMY for "Fairytale," a track off of their sophomore album, That's a Plenty.
The Pointer Sisters made their feature film debut in 1976's Car Wash, and went on to release hit songs including "Fire," "He's So Shy," "Slow Hand," "Neutron Dance." The biggest album of their career, 1983's Break Out, went triple platinum with hits like "Jump" and "Automatic," both of which won GRAMMY Awards.
Throughout their career, The Pointer Sisters received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, won Soul of America Music Awards and were inducted in the Soul Train Hall of Fame.
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