They say that siblings can’t always get along, but in some very famous cases, they have done so to great result. When those siblings are sisters, things can sometimes get contentious, but if you can’t trust your sisters, who can you trust? Look at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, perhaps the most famous example of how sisterly bonds can produce amazing results. Or groups like the Pointer Sisters.
After years of success with her sisters, Bonnie Pointer has a new CD coming, called “Like a Picasso,” in August. Certainly, she’s a talent in her own right, but would the world have known her without her early success with the family And think about it: If you work with your sister, there are ancillary benefits like sharing makeup and clothes.
Here are our favorite sister acts.
TIA AND TAMERA MOWRY. The 31-year-old identical twin sisters gained fame as the black girls’ answer to Mary-Kate and Ashley. Their popular show, “Sister, Sister,” ran for five years on two networks and enjoyed a second life in syndication. The two don’t work together anymore, as Tia is now on “The Game” and Tamera is on the Lifetime series, “Strong Medicine,” but the two remain beloved in the black community for their clean-cut images and versatile roles. Expect “The Game” to return this fall on its new network, BET.
ERICA AND TINA CAMPBELL. The duo that makes up Mary Mary are real-life sisters Erica and Tina Campbell. (Both sisters, born Atkins, are married to non-related musicians whose last name is Campbell.) The Grammy and Stellar Award winning singers released their fourth album, “The Sound” in 2008, anchored by the multi-format smash, “God In Me.” The sisters are known for their devout faith, as well as their willingness to stray outside traditional gospel sounds to make their music more accessible. “God In Me” is one of those songs, and it initially generated some controversy, especially since rapper Kanye West appears in the video. Erica Campell confirmed via YouTube and Facebook that Mary Mary’s latest, “OMG,” is due in September.
SISTER SLEDGE. No family group has had a more fitting signature anthem than Sister Sledge, who recorded “We Are Family” in 1979 with a nod to each other. The four Sledge sisters – Debbie, Joni, Kathy and Kim – grew up singing in Philadelphia, where they performed at churches in the area, but instead of going down the gospel path, the sisters went with R&B instead. Once discovered, they were fortunate enough to come across Chic producers Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers, who gave them some of their biggest hits, including “We Are Family.” But as the disco era waned, so did their career. Sister Sledge still performs together sporadically, and enjoys a large following in the U.K.
THE POINTER SISTERS – The four Pointer sisters – Bonnie, June, Ruth and Anita – grew up in Oakland. The two eldest sisters, Bonnie and June, got their start as duo, but the other sisters soon joined in. Despite their strict parents’ wishes that they stick with gospel, it wasn’t what the sisters liked, and their music went into more secular directions. During the late 1970s and 80s, the Pointer Sisters were a staple on pop radio with hits like “Slow Hand,” “I’m So Excited” and “Jump (For My Love).” Sadly, eldest sister June died of lung cancer in 2006.
SOLANGE AND BEYONCE KNOWLES. The two don’t record together much, but it’s safe to say the the Knowles sisters are among the most successful sister acts in music, if only because of Beyonce’s multi-format success. Fortunately, it appears that baby sis Solange, with her Hadley Street Dreams, …..
