 = Rebbie Jackson = 
 
 Maureen Reillette " Rebbie " Brown ( née Jackson ; born May 29 , 1950 ) is an American singer professionally known as Rebbie Jackson / ˈriːbi ˈdʒæksən / . Born and raised in Gary , Indiana , she is the eldest child of the Jackson family of musicians . She first performed on stage with her siblings during shows in Las Vegas , Nevada , at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in 1974 , before subsequently appearing in the television series The Jacksons . Her sister La Toya was born on Jackson 's 6th birthday . At age 34 , Jackson released her debut album Centipede ( 1984 ) . The album featured songs written by Smokey Robinson , Prince , and Jackson 's younger brother Michael , whose contribution ( the title track " Centipede " ) became Rebbie 's most successful single release . By the end of the 1980s , the singer had released two more albums in quick succession : Reaction ( 1986 ) and R U Tuff Enuff ( 1988 ) . 
 Following a 10 @-@ year hiatus in her musical career , Jackson returned with the 1998 album Yours Faithfully . The production of the album , her last to date , was a collaboration with artists and producers such as Men of Vizion 's Spanky Williams , Keith Thomas , and Eliot Kennedy . It also featured contributions from her children . In 2011 , Rebbie embarked on the " Pick Up the Phone Tour , " which is dedicated to teens who have committed suicide all over the U.S. 
 
 = = Life and career = = 
 
 
 = = = Childhood and youth = = = 
 
 Maureen Reillette " Rebbie " Jackson was born in Gary , Indiana , to a working @-@ class family on May 29 , 1950 . The daughter of Joseph Walter " Joe " and Katherine Esther ( née Scruse ) , she is the eldest of their ten children . Her siblings are Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , La Toya , Brandon ( d . March 12 , 1957 ) , Marlon , Michael ( d . June 25 , 2009 ) , Randy , and Janet . Joseph was a steel mill employee who often performed in a rhythm and blues ( R & B ) band called The Falcons with his brother , Luther . His wife , Katherine , is a Jehovah 's Witness and raised her children to follow the religion . Rebbie , La Toya , and Michael became the most devout of the children as time progressed . Reflecting on her early life , Rebbie acknowledged in a 1980s magazine interview that her role within the family had been that of a " second mother " to her younger siblings , whom she would often babysit . She also Graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High school in Gary IN in 1968 
 
 = = = Marriage = = = 
 
 18 @-@ year @-@ old Rebbie 's announcement that she wanted to marry her childhood love , Nathaniel Brown , in May 1968 created a division in the Jackson family . Jackson expressed her feelings for the man and proclaimed that she wanted to move with him to Kentucky . Katherine encouraged her daughter to proceed with the union ; she felt that being a wife and mother were important roles for all of her daughters to play . Joseph , however , was against the marriage ; he wanted Rebbie to follow in the footsteps of her brothers ( The Jackson 5 ) and become a singer . Her father felt that married life would stop her from becoming a success in the entertainment business . Though Rebbie had taken clarinet , piano and dance lessons in her childhood , she had no interest in a music career . This was despite the fact that according to brother Jermaine she had won several singing contests , duetting with brother Jackie . The teenager thought a happy home was more comforting and secure than the instability of show business . She also wanted to leave her family 's drama @-@ filled home on Jackson Street as well as get away from her controlling father . Arguments ensued for several weeks before her father relented and allowed Rebbie to wed Brown . Having the last word on the matter , Joseph refused to walk his daughter down the aisle . 
 Brown and Jackson have three children ; daughters , Stacee ( born May 5 , 1971 ) and Yashi ( born October 5 , 1977 ) and son , Austin ( born November 22 , 1985 ) . Jackson 's husband , Nathaniel Brown , died of cancer on January 6 , 2013 . Rebbie has one grandson , London Blue Salas ( born July 25 , 2005 ) , from Stacee . 
 
 = = = Early career = = = 
 
 Jackson began her singing career in 1974 , performing with her siblings in Las Vegas . The Vegas shows had initially begun in April , without Rebbie ; due to a sprained ankle , Rebbie 's debut was postponed until June . Her five brothers were the main draws , with herself , Randy , Janet , and La Toya serving as fillers for the performances . 
 When The Jackson 5 parted with their record label Motown in 1976 , they signed to CBS Records and rebranded themselves as The Jacksons . Additionally , the brothers were signed to CBS @-@ TV to star with their family in a variety series called The Jacksons . The shows premiered in June 1976 , and featured all of the siblings excluding Jermaine , who had chosen to stay with Motown . The initial series run of the 30 @-@ minute programs was four weeks . Due to ratings success , more episodes were ordered in January 1977 . The shows marked the first time that an African @-@ American family had ever starred in a television series . The run of programs concluded shortly afterward . 
 Prior to the series , Jackson had thought of her singing as merely a private hobby . The Jacksons — as well as an early love of musicals — motivated her to become a professional recording artist , and the show 's producer encouraged her to sing . Jackson served as a backing vocalist for several musicians around this time , as well as a cabaret singer . She contributed her voice for songs by artists such as The Emotions , Sonny Bono and Betty Wright before Jackson 's second pregnancy stalled her musical career for a short time . 
 
 = = = Centipede = = = 
 
 Following years of preparation , Jackson 's debut album Centipede was distributed in October 1984 by CBS Records , who had signed her as a solo artist two years previously . The album was only released once the singer had ensured that family life was secure and that she had spent time with her children during their important younger years . Centipede became a moderate chart success , reaching number 13 on Billboard 's Top R & B / Hip @-@ Hop Albums chart and number 63 on its Top 200 . The recording of the album had been a family affair ; it involved several contributions from her relatives . Her husband Nathaniel Brown co @-@ wrote the song " Come Alive Saturday Night " with two of his wife 's brothers : Randy and Tito . The latter Jackson also penned " Hey Boy " with his wife Dee Dee . The most successful song from the album was the million @-@ selling title track , " Centipede " . Written , arranged and produced by Michael , the song also featured Jackson 's famous brother on backing vocals . It reached number 4 on the Black Singles Chart and was subsequently certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America . " Centipede " marked Michael 's first effort at writing and producing since the release of his successful Thriller ( 1982 ) . 
 Other tracks from Rebbie 's album included cover versions of songs by Prince ( " I Feel for You " ) and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles ( " A Fork in the Road " ) . The album received mixed reviews from journalists and music critics . According to the magazine Jet , Centipede marked Jackson 's emergence as a " legitimate recording artist " and " cleared the major hurdle of demonstrating that she [ was ] talented and marketable " . With the album , Jackson became the last of her siblings to embark on a recording career and the last in line to release hit material . 
 Rebbie later revealed that there was a lot of discussion at the time of the release of Centipede over whether she should use the Jackson surname professionally or not . To begin with Rebbie did not want to use her pre @-@ marriage surname , but later reasoned that it was silly to deny her heritage . Jackson explained that she did , however , compromise with the use of her family name on the Centipede album cover - " Rebbie is large and Jackson is small " . She further stated that the success of siblings Michael and Janet had not been a hindrance to her , but served as an enhancement to her career . Rebbie added that she did not have to worry about " name recognition " . 
 
 = = = Reaction and R U Tuff Enuff = = = 
 
 Reaction served as a follow @-@ up album to Centipede , and was released in October 1986 . The album was recorded at Tito 's Ponderosa Studios in Los Angeles , California . Her brother Tito produced Reaction along with David Conley and David Townsend of the R & B group Surface . Duets were featured on the album , including one with Cheap Trick lead singer Robin Zander and another with Isaac Hayes . The Zander @-@ Jackson collaboration ( " You Send the Rain Away " ) was released as a single , and peaked at number 50 on the R & B singles chart . Jackson 's duet with Hayes , the ballad " Tonight I 'm Yours " , was not released as a single , though received substantial airplay . Reaction 's title track ( " Reaction " ) was the most popular hit from the album , reaching number 16 on the R & B singles chart . 
 The R U Tuff Enuff album succeeded Reaction upon its release in July 1988 . Jackson was more involved with the production of the album than she had been on her previous releases . She stated at the time of R U Tuff Enuff 's distribution that the sound on the album differed from anything she had done previously . Jackson commented that the album was " more versatile " , while noting that it resembled other albums because it had a lot of dance music . Two singles were released from the album and charted on the R & B singles chart : " Plaything " , which made it into the top 10 , and the title track " R U Tuff Enuff " , which peaked at number 78 . By mid @-@ June 1988 , R U Tuff Enuff had reportedly sold 300 @,@ 000 copies . MTV later concluded that the album " struggled " . Jackson would lend her vocals to " 2300 Jackson Street " ( the title track of her brothers ' 2300 Jackson Street album ) , before taking a hiatus from releasing music . Jackson later stated that she performed around the world during this hiatus . 
 
 = = = Yours Faithfully = = = 
 
 Following a 10 @-@ year break from music , Jackson signed with her brother Michael 's record label , MJJ Music , in 1997 . From the label , Yours Faithfully was released on March 31 , 1998 . The album featured a remixed version of Jackson 's successful " Centipede " . Initially , the singer had not wanted to feature the track , believing that it was part of the past . After thinking about it for a while , Jackson felt that the inclusion of the remix — which features a rap by son Austin — would be a good way to return to the music scene . In addition , two of her other children , Stacee and Yashi , contributed backing vocals for the album . Other tracks from the album included " Fly Away " , which was written and produced by brother Michael , who also served as co @-@ executive producer for Yours Faithfully . Fellow producers included Keith Thomas and Eliot Kennedy . The album also featured a duet with Men of Vizion 's Spanky Williams on The Spinners ' " I Don 't Want to Lose You " , which Jet described as being a " sizzling " rendition . Yours Faithfully 's title track was released as a single and peaked at number 76 on the R & B chart . Vibe magazine 's Quohnos Mitchell expressed disappointment in the album , labelling its content a " mix of dated R & B grooves dressed up with a few cleverly placed samples " . 
 
 = = = Death of Michael Jackson = = = 
 
 Rebbie 's brother Michael died on June 25 , 2009 , after suffering a cardiac arrest . His memorial service was held twelve days later on July 7 , and the finale featured group renditions of the Jackson anthems " We Are the World " and " Heal the World " . The singalong featured Michael 's siblings ( including Rebbie ) and the late singer 's children . Following the service — which was held at Los Angeles ' Staples Center — Rebbie , along with sisters Janet and La Toya , addressed fans at the nearby L.A. Live entertainment complex . " We are extremely grateful for all the support . We love you all . " In the weeks following Michael 's death , it was speculated by media sources that Rebbie would be the primary caregiver for her late brother 's children : Prince , Paris and Blanket . It was stated that even if Michael and Rebbie 's mother Katherine were granted custody of the children , Rebbie would care for the siblings on a day @-@ to @-@ day basis at the Jackson family 's Encino home . Katherine was named the legal guardian of them in August 2009 after the death of Michael Jackson . In early 2011 , Rebbie announced she 's begun recording for a new album , her first in 14 years . She 's also been performing throughout the states with a set list that contains her best known songs , some of her brothers ' songs , and some Motown classics . 
 
 = = = Voice Type = = = 
 
 Rebbie Jackson is a contralto with a 3 octave range . She has an impressive belting range , belting up to F # 5 in her song " Reaction . " 
 
 = = Discography = = 
 
 
 = = = Albums = = = 
 
 
 = = = Singles = = = 
 
 
 