Ruth Esther Pointer (born March 19, 1946) is an American singer–songwriter who is best known as the eldest member of the American family vocal group

the Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, bl ...

Career

Joining her sisters in 1972, the Pointer Sisters released their first album in 1973. The group eventually found fame with songs like " Yes We Can Can" (1973), their

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...

crossover hit, "

Fairytale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful beings. In most cul ...

" (1974) and " How Long (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side)" before Bonnie's exit in 1977. Continuing as a trio, the group found their biggest success covering tunes of rock, pop and new wave with singles such as "

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames a ...

" (1978), " He's So Shy" (1980), and " Slow Hand" (1981). The group found its biggest success with the release of the '' Break Out'' album in 1983 which featured hits such as "Automatic", "Jump (For My Love)", a re-released version of " I'm So Excited", "Neutron Dance", and "Baby Come And Get It". It's notable for featuring Ruth's lead vocals on " Automatic" and " Neutron Dance", which hit the top ten of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Chart and led to the group winning two Grammy Awards. Of the original members, Ruth, along with her sister Anita, are still active with The Pointer Sisters. In 1988, Pointer provided the singing voice of the character Rita the

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

film '' Oliver & Company'', where she sang the song "Streets of Gold" as well as a reprise of the song "Why Should I Worry" with fellow cast member Billy Joel. They were joined by Ruth's daughter, Issa, in the 1990s. The group was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. In October 2021, Pointer competed in season six of '' The Masked Singer'' as "Cupcake". Pointer revealed upon her unmasking that she was supposed to perform on the show as part of a duo with her sister Anita in a duplicated and recolored Cupcake costume. Anita was dealing with an illness, forcing Ruth to perform alone.

Personal life

Pointer has been married five times and has five children. The eldest are a daughter Faun (born 1965) and a son Malik (born 1966). Malik is a singer. Her daughter Issa Pointer (born 1978), is from a 1977 marriage with former

Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 1 ...

member

Dennis Edwards Dennis Edwards Jr. (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer who was best known as the frontman in The Temptations, on Motown Records. Edwards joined the Temptations in 1968, replacing David Ruffin and sang ...

. In 1984, Pointer married noted bassist Don Boyette, divorcing in 1988. Pointer married Michael Sayles in 1990 and, at the age of 47 in 1993, she gave birth to twins, a boy named Conor and a girl named Ali. Both Issa Pointer and Ruth's granddaughter Sadako Pointer (born 1984) have performed as members of the Pointer Sisters.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pointer, Ruth 1946 births Living people The Pointer Sisters members 20th-century African-American women singers American contraltos American women singer-songwriters American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters American rhythm and blues singers Musicians from Oakland, California

Ruth Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Ar ...

Singer-songwriters from California African-American songwriters 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women United Service Organizations entertainers