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June Pointer and
Eugene Barry-Hill misbehavin'
in the Broadway musical tour of Ain't Misbehavin'.
Photo by Joan Marcus.
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This interview ran in OutSmart magazine, March 15, 1996. |
June Pointer may not be gay, but she definitely ain't shy TALKING about gays . . . and a variety of other subjects. I talked to Pointer by phone before she flew out the door for a sound check for Ain't Misbehavin', the Broadway show she's touring with her sisters, Ruth and Anita. This particular day, she was in Columbus, Ohio.
Although this is the first tour of its kind for the Pointer Sisters, they are no strangers to music, however. During their 20-year career, they've been nominated for 10 Grammys and have won three: Best Country Vocal Group for "Fairytale," Best Pop Performance by Group or Duo for "Jump," and Best Vocal Arrangement for "Automatic." They've had seven top 10 hits, and their recent duet with Clint Black ("Chain of Fools") went platinum and was nominated for Best Song of the Year by the Country Music Association. They've also been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Though our conversation was short, its content was more than I could have asked for.
Blase DiStefano: I read that you were born in Oakland, California, in 1953. Were you born in the month of June?
June Pointer: No, I was born in November [30].
Were there any other children besides the four girls [the original Pointer Sisters were Ruth, Anita, Bonnie, and June]?
Yes, I have two older brothers. One of 'em is an NFL referee. I love watching him run up and down the field. They're always telling him he oughta go sing with his sisters.
Do either of them sing?
No. They want to, but we don't let them.
Are you the youngest in the family?
Yes, and I was spoiled by my mom. Whenever my mom would get mad and run away, she would just take me, and they'd be on the porch screaming and crying, and I'd wave goodbye.Are your parents still living?
My mother's living. My father passed away. And my mom is living with me now.
Your father was a minister. . .
My mother, too.
Is she still a minister?
Yes, she is.
How did that affect your spiritual beliefs?
It enhances it much more. We pray before we go onstage, altogether in a circle. I believe we each have our God within us. I know there's a higher spirit that's looking out for all of us. There's so much confusion and turmoil going on in this world, but there's still a lot of joy in life to be lived.
What is your take on spirituality in general?
I think if you have some type of spirituality going on, then you have more power, for sure. It's a positive weapon that you can use to help you knock off a lot of stress and negativity, and it can keep you going when you feel like you CAN'T go.
What was it like being the first black female group to perform at the Grand Ole Opry?
That was very scary. They didn't know we were black.
What?!
They had heard the song on the radio and asked us to perform without having seen us. When we got there, they were [shocked]. One man jumped up and yelled, "Well, hot damn, them gals is black" IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SONG. But the audience loved it, and they laughed, and we laughed, and we kept on singing. But we've been accepted—we won a Grammy [for Best Country Vocal Group] for a country song that even Elvis recorded ["Fairytale"]!
In your early career, did you feel much discrimination?
There was a time when we were thought to be maids at a party that was given for us, and they made us go through the back door at our own party.
When was the last time you felt discriminated against?
Probably a couple of years ago. I'll run across somebody who won't know who I am, and once they find out I'm one of the Pointer Sisters, they're suddenly nice.
When you were younger, did you know any black gay people?
Oh, yes. I had a friend named Curtis, but we called him Chris, and he was a very good friend of mine.
How did he handle the double discrimination?
It was a very hard for him at the time, because there was nobody coming out.
How did it first come about that you knew he was gay?
He was close enough to me to tell me. I knew probably before his parents or anybody else. He would come over to my house and change clothes, and I would let him wear some of my things. I really loved him, and I miss him. He died of AIDS. A lot of my friends have passed away from AIDS.
It's been going on way too long.
Yeah, it definitely needs a lot more attention than it has gotten. There is a cure out there. It has to be. It's major. It's common law. I know there's a cure.
What do you think of homosexuality being discussed in elementary school?
I think it definitely should be discussed. SEX IN GENERAL should be discussed. People are afraid of sex, and yet it's such a beautiful thing.
I'm sure you've traveled extensively, so do you think there's a tendency for gays in Europe to be more out and open than here in the States?
Yes. It's no big deal to see two women or two men kissing.
On the streets?
On the streets. Oh, yeah. They've got it one up on us over there. But I think here [in the U.S.] gays and lesbians are getting more independent about the way they feel and more secure about it.
Even young kids are willing to say they're gay.
I think that's very positive.
Do you have any children?
No, but I have two of the best big sisters you could find. They are also grandmothers, and they love their families. And I love them for that. And I miss my sister Bonnie very much [she left the group in 1977], but she's doing fine. She's in the studio [recording].
I would have never thought of the Pointer Sisters as . . .
Yeah, the Grandmothers of Rock 'n' Roll!
How long have you been on tour with Ain't Misbehavin'?
Six months, and July is the end of it.
Isn't that a tad bit taxing on y'all?
It's very hard work, honey. And it's very disciplined. Especially on the weekends with the matinees. 'Cause we're used to doing shows at 10:00 or 11:00 at night, and all of a sudden we have a show at two in the afternoon.
And you have to do another one that night?
Yes, so there are four shows over the weekend.
And what day do you have off?
Monday.
And that's it?
That's it. And usually we're traveling on that day.
Then y'all better get along.
[Laughter] We better get along real good. All hell would break loose if we didn't. That's where we lucked out, 'cause we really love each other.
Didn't Bob Mackie design the fashions for this show?
Oh, yes, he did. He is the sweetest man, I love him. And it's like we've come to a complete full circle, because we started singing in the old clothes . . .
I swear, a friend of mine wanted me to ask you what happened to all those dresses the Pointer Sisters wore [at the time of their debut in 1973].
[Laughter] We still have them!
Yes, but can you still fit into them?
We can SQUEEZE into a couple of them.
Do you think someday there might be a Pointer Sisters museum where you'll put all those dresses on display?
Oh, I hope so. And my sister Anita is the one who would do that—she will not let go of anything.
This is your first tour of this kind. It must have been a major risk.
It was a very hard challenge, but the Pointer Sisters are known for challenges. They told us they wanted us to sing R&B, we ended up singing pop. They don't know what to expect from us; we like keeping that little excitement there.
Apparently, you're pretty aware of the gay fans you have.
Oh, yeah. You know we're gonna be the grand marshals at the Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco. It's gonna be fabulous. I try to connect with the gay community in every city, go to a couple of clubs, and they put shows on for me. And I love meeting the people. I just love people in general. It doesn't matter what color skin you have or how you like to make love—it's what in your heart that counts. Please tell everybody in the gay community, "You ARE the best audiences."