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Tito Jackson, a former Motown legend and member of the iconic pop group Jackson 5, passed away at the age of 70. His sons — Taj, TaryII and TJ — announced this tragic news in an Instagram post on Monday.
“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,” the post read.
Tito, the third of the nine Jackson siblings, was the brother of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and the pop diva, Janet Jackson. His birth name was Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson, and he was born on October 15, 1953. Tito was known as the least-heard member of the group, serving as a background singer and playing guitar.
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The Jackson 5, an American pop band founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. The family music group, which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, produced several hits of the 1970s including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.”
Prior to becoming one of the biggest names in music, the Jackson 5 was managed by their father, Joe Jackson, a then steelworker and guitar player. As the family’s music careers gained mainstream popularity, they relocated to California.
The label changed from Motown to Epic, and eventually the group name changed from the Jackson 5 to the Jacksons — and the addition of Randy into the group further propelled it into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with hits like “Enjoy Yourself” in 1976, “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” in 1979, and finally, in 1984, “State of Shock.”
Tito was inducted alongside the rest of the Jackson 5 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
