The one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death reminded us that his oldest sister is a one-hit wonder artist: Rebbie Jackson.

Yes, La Toya and Janet Jackson are not the only famous Jackson girls. Rebbie was the first born and the last to attempt a career in the music biz. Why did she wait so long to release her first album? She married at 18 and became mother first, artist second. You have to respect her commitment. In fact, she expressed no real interest in music until her children were old enough that she had spent quality time with them long before the rigors of touring took over her life.

Give Rebbie credit, she appears to be the one member of the Jackson family that has never been motivated by fame and fortune. That takes nothing away from the collective Jackson clan; they are a ridiculously talented bunch.

You also have to give Rebbie credit for having the good sense to have little brother Michael write and produce her debut single, “Centipede.” Let’s be honest: it’s a pretty forgettable song. And listening to it again, you can hear why it hit the charts and then disappeared forever. But it does have Michael Jackson and La Toya singing backup vocals. And Rebbie out front. So that’s something.

That combo was enough to land “Centipede” at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1984. And the album, Centipede, at #64 on the Billboard Albums list.

Rebbie went on to record four albums between 1984 and 1998. She has her fans and she has her detractors. But really, who can be expected to compete with a brother who is the biggest-selling artist of all time. Rebbie couldn’t do it. The Jackson Five couldn’t do it. Jermaine Jackson couldn’t do it with his hit single, “Do What You Do.” La Toya Jackson never even hit the Billboard Top 40 no matter how hard she tried.

Today, Rebbie is generally considered the “most normal” of all the Jacksons. That’s a pretty significant achievement right there. You can even argue it’s perhaps the greatest achievement of all.

Listen to “Centipede” by Rebbie Jackson

Click to watch the original Rebbie Jackson Centipede video on YouTube