Pointer was born in Oakland, California, on January 23, 1948, as the fourth of six children to Sarah Elizabeth (née Silas; 1924–2000) and Reverend Elton Pointer (1901–1979).
pˈɔɪntɚ wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn ˈoʊklənd, kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə, ˌɔn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi twˈɛnti θɹˈiː, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt, æz ðə fˈoːɹθ ʌv sˈɪks tʃˈɪldɹən tə sˈɛɹə ᵻlˈɪzəbəθ nˈeɪ sˈiːləz; nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ænd ɹˈɛvɚɹˌɛnd ˈɛltən pˈɔɪntɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd wˈʌn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn.