Bonnie Pointer
Biography Bonnie Pointer
Bonnie Pointer
Like A Picasso, the first album in years from Grammy winner Bonnie Pointer, marks not only a return for the remarkable singer-songwriter but her re-emergence as unique singer and performer whose matured talents transcend any boundaries or genre. The 14 rock, country, gospel and pop tunes are each performed with a level of grace and authenticity that are destined to once again land Bonnie in the spotlight. No doubt about it, Bonnie is back.
Since returning from a European Tour in 2008, Bonnie has performed in several Pride Festivals and Hard Rock Cafés . Yearning to return to the studio however, Bonnie contacted long time friend David Williams at Melrose Mastering and with writing/producing partners Lloyd Poe and Robin Taylor immersed herself in Like A Picasso. With her vocals at their peak and experimenting with a new feel and sound, Like A Picasso exhibits one of Bonnie’s most powerful and versatile performances ever.
From the complex production of the title track, to the yearning, streamlined “You Will” and “Ghost of 1-95”, Like A Picasso is a journey through the soulful depth that is Bonnie Pointer.
Recently, Bonnie also recorded “Just Cried Tear” written by June Nelson for Monte Hellman’s film, “Road To Nowhere” which won the Special Lion (Career) Award at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. She also composed music for the feature film “Heavenly Bodies” for which she performed the songs “Heaven” and “The Beast In Me” for the film’s soundtrack.
This past summer, Bonnie joined her sisters on stage at the Greek Theater, performing together for the first time in over 15 years and she is now set to appear on the Discopalooza Tour with domestic and international dates.
A prolific songwriter, through the years Bonnie has written innumerable songs for herself as well as other performers, including Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Sly Stone. Recently she has also worked with Jody Watley, Sylvester and Gloria Gaynor. She won the Tokyo Music Festival Award with a song that she and sister Anita wrote for Stevie Wonder.
Bonnie attended the ceremony for the unveiling of the star for group on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994 and joined her siblings on stage for a concert performance of “Jump (For My Love)” in Las Vegas, Nevada on New Years Eve in 1996. She also starred in a five-year run acclaimed run in Atlantic City’s Disco Ball at Trump Taj Mahal.
With Like A Picasso Bonnie Pointer continues an unbroken musical chain that began in a range of San Francisco clubs back in 1969. When she was just18 years old, Bonnie Pointer persuaded her younger sister June to form a singing act with her to find work in the vibrant and growing Bay Area club scene. The Oakland teenagers called themselves Pointers-A Pair and it became immediately obvious that what they lacked in experience they made up for in talent: their music was HOT. When the girls persuaded a third sister, Anita, to join them, they renamed themselves The Pointer Sisters.
In 1971, after a series of showcases arranged by Bill Graham, Jerry Wexler and Atlantic Records inked Bonnie and her sisters to their first record contract.
This new act quickly developed a reputation as one of the top back-up groups in the city, while working with some of the top musical acts in the world. Elvin Bishop, Taj Mahal, Grace Slick, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Led Zeppelin all used the Pointer Sisters for backup vocals or as opening acts for their San Francisco club dates. The young girls similarly worked with Edgar Winter, Dave Mason, Santana, Tower of Power, Boz Scaggs, Bobby Womack, Bill Wyman, Chicago, Dr. Hook and Rod Stewart. By the time the fourth Pointer, big sister Ruth, finally joined the party, The Pointer sisters were clearly one of the rising stars in the music business. In 1972 the girls followed David Rubinson to his new label, Blue Thumb.
Blue Thumb released the Pointer Sisters self-titled first album in 1973, with two songs “Yes We Can, Can” and “Wang Dang Doodle,” charting. This was followed in 1974 with the release of “That’s A Plenty,” which contained; of all things a country tune Bonnie co-wrote with Anita called “Fairytale.”
The country single was a huge success, and when it hit the country charts the sisters were invited to be the first black women ever to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. “Fairytale” won the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group and was later covered by the King himself, Elvis Presley.
The Pointer Sisters successes continued.
Their Blue Thumb Records album “Steppin” included the top 20 hit “How Long (Betcha Goa A Chick On the Side)” written by Bonnie and Anita which was a Top 20 and #1R&B hit which was a Top 20 and #1R&B hit. “Going Down Slowly” also charted as did “You Gotta Believe” showcased in the feature film “Car Wash,” starring Richard Pryor.
In 1979, Bonnie Pointer left the group and signed with Motown Records for whom she made three albums, won the first Billboard Award, and had a number-one song (“Free Me From My Freedom”) and a number one dance record (“Heaven Must Have Sent You”).
