Tito Jackson, a member of the famed Jackson 5, poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, July 24, 2019, to promote his solo project, a new version of his 2017 song “One Way Street.” (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)
By Brian P.D. Hannon
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died. He was 70.
Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet, and was part of a music-making family whose songs have sold hundreds of millions of copies.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being,” his sons TJ, Taj and Taryll Jackson said in a statement posted on Instagram late Sunday.
The Jackson 5, among the last of the major groups launched through Berry Gordy’s Motown empire, included teenage and pre-teen brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and lead singer Michael. Gordy signed them up in the late 1960s when Motown’s power was slipping and tastes were shifting from the slick pop-soul of Motown’s prime to the funkier sounds of Sly and the Family Stone.
“I Want You Back,” the group’s breakthrough hit, was openly modeled on Sly and the Family Stone and topped the charts in 1969. The Jacksons followed with three more No. 1 songs, “ABC,” “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There,” and also hit the top 5 with “Mama’s Pearl” and “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
Some called their music “bubblegum soul.”
By mid-decade, the Jackson 5’s appeal was fading and the group, except Jermaine, moved to Epic and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Their latter hits included “Enjoy Yourself,” “Lovely One” and “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground).” Michael Jackson became a multi-platinum solo artist in the 1980s and his collaborations with his brothers became rare after the 1984 album “Victory.”
The Jackson 5 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, introduced at the ceremony by longtime friend Diana Ross.
“His talent as a musician was undeniable, ensuring that their live performances met the expectations of their fans who loved their records. He was low-key and at the same time commanded respect…the same respect he showed to others,” Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement. “You could say Tito was the glue that held the Jackson 5 together on their journey to superstardom.”
Raised in Gary, Indiana, the Jackson 5 had been formed under the guidance of their father, Joe Jackson, a steelworker and guitar player. Michael and their sibling La Toya would accuse him of abusive behavior. Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson was the least-heard member of the group, working as a background singer who played guitar.
Michael Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009. Speaking to The Associated Press in December 2009, Tito Jackson said that his younger brother’s death pulled the family closer together.
“I would say definitely it brought us a step closer to each other. To recognize that the love we have for each other when one of us is not here, what a great loss,” he said, adding he would personally never “be at peace with it.”
“There’s still moments when I just can’t believe it. So, I think that’s never going to go away,” he said.
In 2014, Jackson said that he and his brothers still felt Michael Jackson’s absence in their shows, which continued with international tours.
“I don’t think we will ever get used to performing without him. He’s dearly missed,” Jackson said, noting that his brother’s spirit “is with us when we are performing. It gives us a lot of positive energy and puts a lot of smiles on our faces.”
Days before his death, Jackson posted a message on his Facebook page from Germany on Sept. 11, where he visited a memorial to Michael Jackson with his brothers.
“Before our show in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon, and I, visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother, Michael Jackson. We’re deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive,” Jackson wrote.
Jackson was the last of the nine siblings to release a solo project with his 2016 debut, “Tito Time.” He released a song in 2017, “One Way Street,” and told the AP in 2019 that he was working on a sophomore album.
Jackson said he purposely held back from pursuing a solo career because he wanted to focus on raising his three sons, who formed their own music group, 3T. Jackson’s website offers a link to a single featuring 3T and Stevie Wonder titled, “Love One Another.”
Earlier this year, Jackson settled in a house in Claremore, Oklahoma near Tulsa, Tulsa World reported. “I always wanted to get away from the West Coast and experience living somewhere with new people and new culture,” the paper quoted Jackson as saying. “California is … different.”
Jackson had ties to the area: His uncle, Samuel Jackson, had opened Jackson Undertaking Co. in Tulsa in 1917, and when it burned down during the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921, Samuel Jackson was hired by a white-owned funeral home to embalm the bodies of Black residents who were killed, the paper reported. He later rebuilt his own company.
Jackson also is survived by his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, and Jackie, his sisters Janet, Rebbie, and La Toya, and their mother, Katherine. Their father died in 2018.
Jackson’s death was first reported by Entertainment Tonight.
Gamble and Huff statement on the passing of Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5 and The Jacksons:
“We are saddened by the passing of our long-time friend and former joint Epic/PIR label deal artist Tito Jackson, a member of the Jacksons. Recording and producing the first two Jacksons’ albums post leaving Motown here in the city of Philadelphia were a highlight of our music career. We had a great time working with Tito in the studio, joy to be around as a then upcoming songwriter and guitarist. The albums “Enjoy Yourself’ featuring…Show You The Way To Go and “Going Places” with Tito and his brothers featuring “Enjoy Yourself” were some of the most memorable experiences for us. Tito Jackson was a great musician, artist, father, and music legend. We send our sincere condolences to his family and especially to his dear mother Ms. Katherine Jackson, his brothers & sisters.” (Photos courtesy Gamble and Huff)
Leave a Comment