POINTER SISTERS CELEBRATE 20TH YEAR WITH BOLD ALBUM

The Pointer Sisters have produced an album to celebrate their 20th year in the music business and make a bold statement about the strides women have taken.

The title track of "Only Sisters Can Do That" is the band's salute to the contemporary female and a reflection of the band's past accomplishments. "We laid the ground for all the girls in town," said Anita Pointer, alluding to female groups like En Vogue, Wilson Phillips, SWV and Jade.

The Pointer Sisters will be at the Show Me Center Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

"We broke down doors for the female groups of today just like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin broke down the doors for us," said Anita Pointer. "It's a bold statement but it's true."

Said June Pointer,"We wanted to say something about women and how great they are. "Women make tremendous contributions to society every day. The mothers in the inner city aren't just survivors, they're warriors. They make sure the kids have food and clothes and try to keep the family strong. Women are incredible and that's the message we want to get across."

From a musical standpoint "Only Sisters Can Do That" marks a return to the soulful sensibilities that catapulted the Pointer Sisters to fame in 1973. Anita co-wrote "I Want Fireworks" as well as "Tell It To My Heart." The entire group collaborated with producer Peter Wolf on the title track.

"We've gone back to what we do best, which is being ourselves and singing as opposed to trying to keep up with the mainstream and modern technology," said Ruth Pointer. "We wanted to capture a feeling of pure, raw honesty on this album and I think we succeeded."

Honesty and musical power are fused in the album's first single "Don't Walk Away." The song offers background vocals courtesy of Michael McDonald.

"Don't Walk Away" is about working things out and talking it over," said June Pointer. "If you let each other know your feelings about certain things, then maybe in the future you can approach problems with more understanding. It's a song about a woman trying to be heard."