Perri "Pebbles" Reid

Infobox musical artist
Name = Pebbles


Img_capt = Pebbles
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Perri Alette McKissack
Born = birth date and age|1966|08|29
Origin =
Genre = Dance-pop, R&B, Urban contemporary
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1987–1996
Label = MCA (1987–1996)

Perri Nixon (formerly known as Pebbles), born Perri Alette McKissack on August 29, 1966, is an American dance-pop and urban contemporary singer-songwriter.

Early Life & Career

Born Perri Alette McKissack in Oakland, California, she got her start in the early 1980s as a backup singer for percussionist/band leader Bill Summers and the funk outfit Con Funk Shun, co-writing one of the latter band's hits, "Body Lovers."

Although dance-pop singer Pebbles scored several hit singles on her own during the late 1980s and early 1990s, she became known as the manager and creator of one of the genre's biggest hit machines,TLC She also sang background vocals on Paula Abdul's album "Forever Your Girl" in 1988.

Pebbles founded her own record label, Savvy Records, and created the Atlanta-based hip-hop/dance trio TLC (comprised of members Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes). Guiding TLC's career and serving as their manager, the trio became one of pop's biggest hit-making groups by 1994, thanks to their eleven-times platinum smash "Crazysexycool".

Pebbles returned to her solo career in 1995 with her third release "Straight From the Heart". Although it was a much more mature work (and featured contributions from such producers/songwriters as Sean "Puffy" Combs, Kyle West, and Organized Noize), it failed to match the commercial success of its predecessors. 2000 saw the release of a fourteen-track career overview on the Hip-O label with "Greatest Hits".

Pebbles' career as TLC's manager became the subject of public and professional scrutiny when the group alleged that she was mismanaging their finances, forcing them to file for bankruptcy. Pebbles denied the claim, stating she was merely looking out for the group's best interests. TLC eventually parted ways with Pebbles, leaving their professional and personal relationship with her permanently strained. Pebbles' marriage to producer L.A. Reid had also deteriorated during this time, leading them to file for divorce. She was so angered and bitter by both experiences, she left the secular music industry. Pebbles eventually became a Christian minister under the name of Sister Perri. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_11_55/ai_65014620 `Sister Perri' The Preacher Formerly Known As Pebbles | Ebony | Find Articles at BNET.com ] ]

Personal life

In 1982 she gve birth to daughter Ashley V Smith with Oakland magnate George L Smith. After Smith's wife died of cancer the two married in 1983. They divorced in 1990 because Perri began a relationship with her record producer L.A. Reid. Perri's son Aaron was born in 1989. She and her daughter moved to Atlanta with Reid. Aaron was on an episode of My Super Sweet 16. Perri and Reid divorced in 1996. Perri married Otis Nixon in Nassau, Bahamas in 2000; they divorced in 2004 [http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/loge/6770/pebblesbio01_copy.html Pebbles bio] .

Discography

Albums

"Pebbles"
*Released: November 16, 1987
*Label: MCA
*Chart Peak: US Pop #14, R&B #5
*RIAA Certification: Platinum
*Singles: "Love/Hate," "Girlfriend," "Mercedes Boy," "Take Your Time," "Do Me Right"

"Always"
*Released: September 11, 1990
*Label: MCA
*Chart Peak: US Pop #37, R&B #12
*RIAA Certification: Gold
*Singles: "Giving You the Benefit," "Love Makes Things Happen" (with Babyface), "Backyard" (feat. Salt-N-Pepa), "Always"

"Straight from My Heart"
*Released: September 12, 1995
*Label: MCA
*Chart Peak: US R&B #43
*Sales Peak: 198,477
*RIAA Certification: N/A
*Singles: "Are You Ready?," "I Can't Help It"

"Greatest Hits"
*Released: April 25, 2000
*Label: Hip-O
*Chart Peak: N/A
*Sales Peak: 87,000+
*RIAA Certification: N/A
*Singles: N/A

"Phrophetic Flows (Vol. I & II)" [ [http://wogcl.org/propheticflows.html Welcome To Women Of God Changing Lives Through Christ - Prophetic Flows ] ] (as "Sister Perri")
*Released: Spring 2007

Singles

Sources

* [http://www.vh1.com VH1]
* [http://www.allmusic.com All Music Guide]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20040413150900/http://www.xs4all.nl/~prism/pages/pebbles.htm Pebbles Fan site]
* [http://geocities.com/sweettoi/pebbles_main.html Always Pebbles Fansite]
* [http://www.answers.com/topic/pebbles-1 Answers.com]
* [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=5393&model.vnuAlbumId=13152 Billboard.com]

Notes and references