Who is Rebbie Jackson?
Rebbie Jackson is an American singer and the eldest daughter of Michael Jackson’s famed Jackson family of singers. She was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, and began her religious journey at a young age, following in her mother’s footsteps. Rebbie began her musical career in Las Vegas in the 1970s, when she first performed on stage with her siblings.
The Jacksons got a deal with CBS Records after their popularity. They also starred in ‘The Jacksons,’ a TV variety show. She intended a solo musical career after achieving recognition, and her debut album, ‘Centipede,’ was published in 1984. The album was a mild hit, as were the two albums that followed it, ‘Reaction’ and ‘R U Tuff Enuff.’ Following that, she had a ten-year hiatus until releasing her next album, ‘Yours Faithfully,’ in 1998. Her brother Michael Jackson’s record label, MJJ Music, distributed this album. When Michael died in June 2009, his siblings paid tribute to him at his memorial service by singing “Heal the World” and “We Are the World,” two of Michael’s songs.
Rebbie Jackson: Bio, Age, Ethnicity, Sibling
- Rebbie Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on May 29, 1950, to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. She was the oldest of the Jackson family’s ten children. (adrianflux.co.uk) Her father, who worked at a steel mill, spent his free time playing music with his band. He used to take his children to his jamming sessions, which aided in the development of a strong interest in music among the Jackson children.
- Katherine’s mother, a ‘Jehovah’s Witness,’ was a devout Christian. She instilled in all of her children a strong faith in God. Rebbie claimed in an interview that as the family’s eldest child, she was responsible for most of her siblings’ upbringing. She’d basically be babysitting them. Rebbie is a graduate of Gary’s ‘Theodore Roosevelt High School.’
- Following the news of her marriage to her boyfriend, Nathaniel Brown, at the age of 18, she caused a schism in the family. She confessed to her parents that she adored him and desired to marry him. While her father was adamantly opposed, her mother was completely on board. Her father hoped she would pursue a career in music, but feared her early marriage would put an end to her ambitions.
- Rebbie married Nathaniel after all. Her brothers had created a music group named ‘The Jackson 5’ by that time. All of the Jackson siblings banded together in 1974 to put on a show in Las Vegas. They became well-known almost immediately.
- In 1976, the Jacksons split ways with their label, ‘Motown,’ and later joined up with ‘CBS Records,’ which proved to be a watershed moment in their careers.
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Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Maureen Reillette Rebbie Jackson
- Age: 72 Years
- Spouse/Ex-: Nathaniel Brown (M. 1968–2013)
- Father: Joe Jackson
- Mother: Katherine Jackson
- Siblings: Jackie Jackson, Jackson Brandon, Janet Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson
- Children: Austin Brown, Stacee Brown, Yashi Brown
- Born Country: United States
- Pop Singers Soul Singers
- Height: 5’2″ (157 cm), 5’2″ Females
- City: Gary, Indiana
- U.S. State: Indiana
Professional Career
- ‘CBS’ has signed the Jackson brothers to perform on their variety show ‘The Jacksons.’ Except for Jermaine Jackson, who had chosen to remain faithful to the label ‘Motown,’ the event featured all of the Jacksons. The show was only supposed to be on for a month, but it was so popular that the network officials decided to keep it on. The show was groundbreaking in that it starred members of an African–American family as the primary characters and gave the Jacksons a household name in the United States.
- Rebbie, on the other hand, was not yet ready to pursue singing as a career and preferred to keep it as a pastime. She believed that acting would be a far better career choice for her, but the show’s producers admired her singing technique and encouraged her to continue with her musical aspirations. Jackson began her career as a background vocalist for a variety of musicians and even performed in cabarets. She became pregnant in the late 1970s, which forced her to take a break from her work.
- Rebbie returned to the music world in October 1984, this time with ‘Centipede,’ her full-fledged first album. ‘CBS Records’ was in charge of distribution for the album. Rebbie, on the other hand, prioritized her family over her work.
- As expected, the record failed to wow Rebbie and only achieved a moderate level of popularity. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard music charts and 63 on the Billboard Top 200. Despite the fact that the record was billed as a solo effort, it was a collaboration between her siblings. The album’s title tune was the most successful of all, selling over a million copies.
- Michael Jackson wrote, produced, and orchestrated the song “Centipede,” which was one of the first glimpses of his brilliance. The song peaked at #4 on the ‘Black Singles Chart,’ and the ‘Recording Industry Association of America’ awarded it a ‘Gold’ certification (RIAA). Michael, who had already achieved fame with ‘Thriller,’ greatly aided Rebbie in making the album a success.
- Despite the fact that most critics were underwhelmed by the CD, they all acknowledged that Rebbie was a gifted musician. Rebbie released her second album, ‘Reaction,’ in October 1986. Once again, the album’s critical and economic success was limited. The title tune, ‘Reaction,’ was the most popular song on the album, repeating the popularity of its predecessor.
- Rebbie’s third album, ‘R U Tuff Enough,’ was published in 1988. She remarked that she put more effort into this record than she had put into her other albums combined. The third album, too, failed to make an impression, with ‘MTV’ critics stating that it “struggled.” The album was a minor success, selling 3,00,000 copies in just a few months after it was released.
- Rebbie was devastated by this alleged failure, and she chose to take a long vacation from music. For a decade, she was absent from the music world. In 1998, she announced the release of ‘Yours Faithfully,’ her fourth album. Rebbie’s younger brother Michael had started his own record company, ‘MJJ Music,’ by that time, and she recorded her album there.
- Her fourth album, much to her dismay, received mixed reviews from both fans and critics. Rebbie’s musical career never really took off, despite the fact that she was touted as a promising singer. Michael Jackson’s international success also harmed her and her siblings’ chances of achieving global recognition, since they were largely eclipsed by his success.
Personal Experiences
- Rebbie Jackson dated Nathaniel Brown in high school for a long period before marrying him in 1968. Her decision drew a lot of criticism from her family, but she held firm in her decision. The family eventually agreed to the marriage, but her father refused to accompany her down the aisle.
- Stacee, Yashi, and Austin were the couple’s three children. Nathaniel passed away in 2013 due to sickness.
- Her brother Michael Jackson’s untimely death devastated not only the world but also the Jackson family. The death was widely reported in the international press. Despite the fact that it was expected that Rebbie would be given custody of Michael’s children, Katherine, Michael, and Rebbie’s mother were given custody.
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