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By Richard Emerson on December 21, 2013 in

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60's & Beyond

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60's & Beyond

The late June Pointer was born on this day in 1953.

Pointer was an American singer, best known as the youngest of the founding members of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters.

In 1969, she and sister Bonnie founded The Pointers – A Pair. The duo sang at numerous clubs, then became a trio later that year when sister Anita quit her job as a secretary to join them. The group officially changed its name to The Pointer Sisters. The trio signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and released a few singles, none of which made a substantial impact on the music charts. In 1972, sister Ruth joined the group, making it a quartet. The sisters then signed with Blue Thumb Records, and their career began to take off.

Releasing their self-titled debut album in 1973, the Pointer Sisters found immediate fame with hits such as "Yes We Can Can" and "Wang Dang Doodle." Subsequent albums boasted top-charting songs such as "Fairytale," "How Long (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side)" and "You Gotta Believe." June left the group in November 1975 due to health problems as she was advised to retire due to extreme mental and physical exhaustion; Bonnie Pointer exited from the group to forge a solo career in 1977.

Upon June's return, the remaining sisters found huge success, reaching the Top 10 in early 1979 with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire"; that began a string of hits which included "Happiness," "He's So Shy" (1980), "Slow Hand" (1981), "American Music," "Should I Do It" and "I'm So Excited." In 1983, the group released what would be their biggest album to date, Break Out. It included the Top 10 hits "Automatic"; "Jump (For My Love)"; a re-release of "I'm So Excited", which became a bigger hit than when originally released in 1982; and "Neutron Dance." Subsequent albums spawned hits such as "Dare Me," "Freedom" and "Goldmine." (Pointer sang lead vocals on several of the group's top singles, including "Happiness," "He's So Shy", "Jump (For My Love)", "Baby Come And Get It" and "Dare Me.")

On February 27, 2006, June suffered a stroke. While hospitalized, she was diagnosed with cancer, which had metastasized in her breast, colon, liver and bones. She died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on April 11, 2006, at the age of 52. ... See MoreSee Less