Tuscaloosa concert will feature the Commodores, the Pointer Sisters and the Spinners

The Commodores, the Pointer Sisters and the Spinners will play the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater 7 p.m. Oct. 3, according to a release from Birmingham-based Red Mountain Entertainment, which books and runs the Tuscaloosa venue.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, through www.ticketmaster.com, or at the box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway in downtown Tuscaloosa. They will be selling for $159.50, $139.50, $99.50, $79.50, $59.50 and $39.50, not including fees and taxes.

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Born of friends attending Tuskeegee Institute (now Tuskeegee University), the Commodores became one of the biggest-selling funk/R&B/soul bands of all time, with for the early stretch two lead singers, Walter "Clyde" Orange, who wrote or co-wrote many of their bigger hits, including "Brick House" and the Grammy-winning, often-covered "Nightshift," and Lionel Richie, who sang lead on more of the ballads such as "Easy," and "Three Times a Lady." Richie left for a solo career in '82 when the band was on hiatus.

Orange still performs with the Commodores, as does founding co-member William "WAK" King, a singer and multi-instrumentalist, and singer James Dean "J.D." Nicholas, who's been with the group since 1982.

With seven No. 1 singles, five No. 1 albums, 20 Top 10 singles and 15 Top 10 albums, the Commodores has sold more than 75 million records. They're members of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. In addition to the singles mentioned above, they're also known for "Too Hot ta Trot," "Sail On," "Still," "Lady (You Bring Me Up)," "Slippery When Wet," "Just to Be Close to You" and "Oh No."

As largely Alabama-based, the Commodores are no strangers to the region; their most recent Tuscaloosa appearance was at the 2019 Bicentennial Bash.

June, Bonnie, Anita and Ruth Pointer began vocal training in their dad's The Church of Godin West Oakland, California. As a pop duo, then trio, and quartet, their sound diversified from gospel roots into jazz, pop, rock, soul, blues, dance-funk, and country, with one of their biggest hits being the twangy, Grammy-winning "Fairytale."

Their other best-known songs include "Jump (For My Love)," "Automatic," "Slow Hand," "Yes We Can Can," "He's So Shy," "I'm So Excited," "Dare Me," "Goldmine," "Neutron Dance," and a slinky cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire."

June, Bonnie and Anita have passed away, but Ruth still performs with her daughter by the Temptations' Dennis Edwards, Issa Pointer, and Ruth's granddaughter Sadako Pointer Johnson.

The Spinners predate both the Commodores and Pointer Sisters, with roots going back to 1954, though most of their hits came in the '60s and '70s, including "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," "It's a Shame," "One of a Kind (Love Affair)," "Mighty Love," "Then Came You" (with Dionne Warwick), "Games People Play," "The Rubberband Man," "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me Girl" and "Cupid."

Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at mark.cobb@tuscaloosanews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tuscaloosa show to feature the Commodores and the Pointer Sisters