WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Pebbles

In 1987, Pebbles wanted to be your girlfriend, but after a few more top ten hits, it was all over. So what happened?

Born Perri Arlette McKissack in Oakland, California in 1964, the artist who would become known as ‘Pebbles’ made her debut aged 16 in the band Con Funk Shun. Her cousin is Cheryl Norton, who would later pursue a music career herself as Cherrelle and enjoy a big hit with Alexander O’Neal in 1985 with “Saturday Night”. Pebbles learned her art and also honed her skills as a songwriter. Soon after she wrote the song “Mercedes Boy”, which she sent to a number of record companies, eventually being picked up by MCA in 1986. He first single, “Love/Hate” only made a small dent in the US Dance chart, but the follow up, “Girlfriend”, released at the end of 1987, did far better, making No.5 on the singles chart and No.1 on the R&B chart.

“Girlfriend” went international in 1988 making the top ten in the UK, while Pebbles’ self-titled debut album would get to No.14 back home and gain a Platinum certification for one million copies sold. She followed “Girlfriend” with her first composition, “Mercedes Boy”, which was even bigger, peaking at No.2 and also topping the R&B chart, although this was less successful outside of America. Pebbles would also be busy in the bedroom as she married first her manager George Smith and in 1989, producer L.A. Reid, although both ended in divorce. Reid would become instrumental in Pebbles’ follow up album, “Always”, in 1990.

Reid also produced the lead single, “Giving You The Benefit”, which put her back in the top five of the singles chart and back at No.1 on the R&B chart, although her success was now confined to her home land. “Always” would produce another R&B chart number one with “Love Makes Things Happen”, with a then rising singer called Babyface. 1991 Saw Pebbles hook up with Salt’N’Pepa for the song “Backyard”, while one further album with MCA, 1995’s “Straight From My Heart”, was not a success at all and neither was the lead and ultimately only single from it, “Are You Ready?”. Clearly no one was ready for it and Pebbles was dropped by the label. Pebbles turned to God in 1997 and became ‘Sister Perri’.

She founded the Women of God Changing Lives ministries and would eventually record and release the album “Prophetic Flows Vol I & II” in 2008, her first album for thirteen years and to date, her most recent. Pebbles married her fifth husband in 2012 and now spends her time preaching as an ordained minister.