That's A Plenty
View on Discogs
Album Summary
Released in 1974 on Blue Thumb Records, 'That's A Plenty' arrived as the Pointer Sisters — Ruth, Anita, Bonnie, and June, joined by family members including Patricia and Sadako — were carving out one of the most gloriously unpredictable lanes in American music. The album leaned into an eclectic, genre-defying spirit that was the group's signature, blending soul, rhythm and blues, ragtime, and vintage Americana into a sound that felt both deeply rooted and delightfully surprising. Produced during a period when the sisters were celebrating the full breadth of Black American musical heritage, the record stands as a testament to their vocal range and their refusal to be boxed in by the trends of the moment.
Reception
- The album was met with critical appreciation for the Pointer Sisters' genre-blending ambitions, with reviewers noting their ability to move fluidly between soul, R&B, and early jazz and ragtime traditions.
- The country-tinged 'Fairytale,' featured on this album, became a breakthrough moment for the group, earning crossover attention on country charts — a remarkable achievement for a Black soul group in that era.
- The sisters' adventurous stylistic choices were polarizing for some audiences expecting a more straightforward soul record, but admirers celebrated the album as a showcase of rare versatility.
Significance
- The album is a landmark document of the Pointer Sisters' early artistic identity — a bold, joyful reclamation of the full spectrum of Black American musical traditions, from gospel blues to ragtime to rhythm and soul.
- 'Fairytale' made history as one of the very few recordings by a Black female group to achieve genuine crossover success on country music charts in the 1970s, opening doors and challenging the rigid genre segregation of the era.
- The inclusion of tracks like 'Grinning In Your Face' and 'Black Coffee' alongside ragtime-flavored pieces demonstrated that the Pointer Sisters were as much a cultural preservation act as a pop group, honoring the elders while speaking to a modern audience.
Samples
- "Fairytale" — sampled and covered widely, this track's crossover legacy made it one of the most-referenced Pointer Sisters recordings of the era, later sampled in hip-hop contexts celebrating its distinctive groove and historical resonance.
Tracklist
-
A1 Bangin' On The Pipes / Steam Heat 76
5:39
-
A2 Salt Peanuts 80
5:10
-
A3 Grinning In Your Face 178
4:49
-
A4 Shaky Flat Blues 81
4:41
-
A5 That's A Plenty / Surfeit, U.S.A. —
3:42
-
B1 Little Pony 99
4:43
-
B2 Fairytale 129
5:04
-
B3 Black Coffee 140
6:07
-
B4 Love In Them There Hills 100
8:30
Artist Details
The Pointer Sisters burst onto the scene out of Oakland, California in the early 1970s, four siblings — Ruth, Anita, Bonnie, and June — whose voices together were like four rivers meeting and becoming something greater, blending R&B, soul, pop, country, and jazz into a sound so versatile it defied every category radio tried to put them in. They were one of the first Black female groups to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, won Grammy Awards across multiple genres, and scored massive hits from "Yes We Can Can" to "I'm So Excited" to "Jump (For My Love)," proving decade after decade that their artistry was no one-hit wonder. The Pointer Sisters stand as a testament to the power of family harmony and artistic fearlessness, breaking down racial and genre barriers while delivering pure, undeniable joy straight to the soul.
