Reid was raised in Oakland, California. Nicknamed “Pebbles” as a toddler (after the cartoon character Pebbles Flintstone, whom she somewhat resembled), Pebbles is the cousin of R&B singer Cherrelle. A natural R&B soubrette, Pebbles began her career as a backup singer and song writer for groups like Con Funk Shun and Sister Sledge. In 1988 the singer’s self-titled Platinum selling debut album on MCA produced the #1 hit “Mercedes Boy” (for the Corey Haim movie License to Drive) and top ten hit “Girlfriend”, as well as the Top Five R&B hit “Take Your Time” and moderate hit “Do Me Right.” Two years later in 1990, her sophomore album Always went Gold. The album brought the top ten hits “Giving You the Benefit”, and “Backyard”, featuring Salt-N-Pepa. The album featured more of a New Jack Swing edge. She was married to George Smith who mentored her and orchestrated her early career. She married famed producer (and LaFace Records founder) Antonio Reid in 1990, and put aside her solo career to found her own production company, Pebbitone, in 1991. Pebbitone produced the Grammy Award winning group TLC. Although the group initially saw Pebbles as a maternal figure, the lack of financial success in contrast to their meteoric rise in popularity would drive a wedge between manager and group. The ensuing backlash for their management was the cause of TLC’s bankruptcy filing in 1994 (to release themselves from the contract), as well as the demise of Pebbles’ marriage. She started her own record label, Savvy Records, in 1993, but shut it down in 1997, after embracing Christianity. Pebbles returned to her solo career in 1995 with the release of Straight from My Heart, a more mature work, showing her growth as an artist and an individual. It features the P-Funk dance-pop single “Are You Ready”, which peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. The second single, a cover of the Michael Jackson hit “I Can’t Help It”, gained minor airplay, but missed making the charts. Nevertheless, Straight from My Heart remains a fan favorite to this day. Currently a born again Christian and no longer known as Pebbles, Sister Perri Reid doesn’t maintain a career in the entertainment industry and rarely makes public appearances. She founded “Women of God Changing Lives Through Christ”, a women-focused ministry with which she continues to lead Tuesday night “healing services” in Atlanta, Georgia. Her son, Aaron Reid, was featured on MTV’s My Super Sweet Sixteen in 2006. It has been said that if she chose to return to music, it would be as a Gospel music artist. |
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