Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Brown (
née Jackson; born May 29, 1950) is an American singer professionally known as
Rebbie Jackson . 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).