Tito Jackson passed away at the age of 70.
The founding member of the Jackson 5 and older brother of Michael Jackson died of a suspected heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma, Jackson family friend and former Jackson family manager Steve Manning said. AND.
The official cause of death has not yet been determined.
Tito was last photographed on September 9 in Munich, Germany, six days before his death, before a performance by the current lineup of The Jacksons, which also included brothers Jackie and Marlon Jackson.
The King of Pop Michael, known for hits such as Smooth Criminal and Beat It, died on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50, following a cardiac arrest.
Tito is survived by his three children Taj, 41, Taryll, 39, and TJ, 46, who were in the band 3T, and nine grandchildren.
Tito Jackson died at 70 – photo 2017
Tito was last photographed last week on September 9th, seen second from left with Jackie and Marlon Jackson, as well as Tito’s son Taryll Jackson.
Tito rose to fame in an iconic quintet, the Jackson 5, led by his younger brother Michael and featuring his siblings Jackie, Jermaine and Marlon Jackson (pictured, 1968).
The mother of his children was Delores “Dee Dee” Tuesday, whom Jackson married in 1972 and divorced in 1988.
She was found dead in a swimming pool in 1994 at age 39 and although her death was initially ruled accidental, her boyfriend Donald Bohana was later charged with her murder and later convicted of second-degree murder in 1998.
He was granted parole in December 2022 after serving 24 years.
The Jackson 5 formed in 1964, with founding members Tito (born Toriano Adaryll), Jackie and Jermaine; younger brothers Marlon and Michael joined shortly thereafter.
Father Joe Jackson led them and entered the band into local talent contests.
Jackson was notoriously tough on them as a manager; he also insisted that his children call him by his first name and not “Dad.”
Leaving local gigs and competitions behind, Jackson eventually booked them at increasingly prestigious venues, eventually landing the band a spot at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, where they won amateur night and then a recording contract with Motown.
In 1969, the Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records in Detroit and recorded several hit songs, including the number-one singles I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There, with Tito’s impressive guitar skills being a key component of the band’s success.
The Jackson 5 formed in 1964. Founding members were Tito (born Toriano Adaryll), Jackie and Jermaine; younger brothers Marlon and Michael joined soon after (pictured, 1972).
Tito shared a close bond with his younger brother: they are seen in 2005 during Jackson’s highly publicized child abuse trial.
Jackson is survived by his three children Taj, 41, Taryll, 39, and Tito Joe, 46, who were in the band 3T.
The mother of his children was Delores “Dee Dee” Tuesday (left), whom Jackson married in 1972 and divorced in 1988. She was found dead in a swimming pool in 1994. Tito is pictured with Tuesday, Brenda Harvey-Richie and Rebbie Jackson in 1982.
The Jackson family is a musical dynasty, and sister Janet Jackson also became one of music’s biggest superstars. Pictured with her brother Jermaine in 2007.
The Jackson 5 became the first American group to have their first four singles go straight to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Randy, the youngest Jackson brother, replaced Jermaine in the mid-1970s when the group left Motown and became The Jacksons on CBS; Jermaine stayed on and launched a solo career.
In 2001, Jackson reunited with his brothers at Michael Jackson’s special 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden.
Michael was involved with the original Jackson 5 until 1983, when he began to focus on his successful solo career.
Tito had a very close relationship with Michael and staunchly defended him when he faced allegations of child abuse. Jackson was acquitted of all 14 charges against him in 2005.
In 2019, the documentary Leaving Neverland was released, in which Wade Robson and James Safechuck claimed that Michael had abused them when they were children.
Safechuck was 10 when he met Jackson in 1986 on the set of a Pepsi commercial. He claims Jackson, who has denied all allegations of child sexual abuse throughout his life, showered him with gifts while grooming him and his family.
Tito is pictured with his brothers Marlon, Jermaine and Randy, and his sister Janet Jackson with Michael’s children Paris and Prince in the pop icon’s 2009 memorial series.
The Jackson 5 became the first American group to have their first four singles go straight to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Robson, an Australian, was five years old when he met Jackson after winning a dance competition in Brisbane. He has alleged he suffered similar abuse.
Tito refused to watch the documentary and said in 2021: ‘I’ve never seen any Michael Jackson movies or documentaries or anything of that nature because I know it’s all a bunch of nonsense.
‘But the people who have contaminated it, perhaps want it to remain contaminated.
‘It’s a crazy situation and I think it has something to do with his popularity, that they want to add some ugliness to the mix or tarnish his profile.
‘Social media doesn’t help, the way it works sometimes, but (his legacy) will never be tarnished because the truth always prevails and it always will. I don’t care what they say, it always will. It’s almost like ‘what’s next? Who’s next?’
Tito began a solo career in 2003 performing as a blues musician and released two albums, Tito Time in 2016 and Under Your Spell in 2021.
Tito Time released the hit solo single Get It Baby featuring Big Daddy Kane.
He released Love One Another from Under Your Spell, which featured his brother Marlon Jackson, Kenny Neal, Bobby Rush and Stevie Wonder.
Throughout his career he was nominated for three Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as a member of the Jackson 5.
Tito began a solo career in 2003 performing as a blues musician and released two albums, Tito Time in 2016 and Under Your Spell in 2021. He is pictured August 31, 2024 in Inglewood, California.
Last month, Jackson reflected on what his brother Michael told him. The mirror‘The world was not kind to Michael. I don’t know why. He always said that if we didn’t have him, we would miss him.
“His death was a huge tragedy. The world definitely missed out on a lot of good things about him, because he wasn’t just a musician or an artist, he was a caring person. He loved to give.”
‘I don’t have time to think about it. We know ourselves and we know each other. It just makes me mad. There aren’t too many people I trust. Learning about this business… Well, there are a lot of rich people in show business who aren’t artists, so you wonder how they got all their wealth.
