Tito Jackson, Original Member of the Jackson 5, Dies at 70

Tito Jackson, the brother of Michael and Janet Jackson and a singer and guitarist who was part of the highly influential pop bands The Jackson 5 and later The Jacksons, has died. He was 70.

Longtime Jackson family friend and manager Steve Manning told Entertainment Tonight that Tito Jackson died Sunday while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma.

Tito’s sons, Taj, Taryll and TJ, who are part of the R&B group 3T, confirmed their father’s death on social media. “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. Some of you may know him as Tito Jackson from the legendary Jackson 5, some may know him as “Coach Tito” or some know him as “Poppa T.” Nevertheless, he will be missed tremendously. It will forever be “Tito Time” for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is “Love One Another.” We love you Pops.”

A member of perhaps the most gifted musical family in American history, Tito, with his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, was part of the original lineup of The Jackson 5, a group that were amongst the first Black pop acts that had crossover appeal and which also set the blueprint for many boy bands that would come later. The Jackson 5 stole America’s heart with four straight No. 1s, including the classic songs “I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save”, and “I’ll Be There.” Tito would later go on to enjoy a solo career, and his musical legacy would continue when his three sons formed the R&B group 3T.

Born Toriano Adaryll Jackson on Oct. 15, 1953 in Gary, Indiana, Tito was the third of ten children of Katherine and Joe Jackson. His siblings included brothers Jermaine, Marlon, Michael, Jackie, Brandon and Randy and sisters La Toya, Rebbie and Janet. With his children, especially Tito, showing musical promise from a young age, in 1964, Joe Jackson created The Jackson Brothers, the first iteration of what was to become the Jackson 5, with three members, Tito, Jermaine and Jackie. In 1966, the group was enlarged to include Michael and Marlon — thus adopting the Jackson 5 name — and with Joe Jackson’s strict management continued on their arduous path to stardom.

After touring relentlessly and winning a series of talent contests, The Jackson 5 got their big break in 1969, when they were exclusively signed to Berry Gordy’s Motown Records on a seven-year deal. The band’s Motown era began with a bang, as their first four singles — “I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save”, and “I’ll Be There” — all went straight to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Jacksonmania” took over America, and the Jackson 5 sold out shows and appearances all over the country. By 1970, the band had streaked past the Supremes as Motown’s number one act, and the label wasted no time in signing up sponsors and licensing merchandise related to the Jackson 5.

By the early, at the zenith of the group’s popularity, The Jackson 5 had achieved international success, with sold out shows in the U.K. and Europe, with the group mobbed by fans everywhere they went.

Though a talented guitarist in his own right, Tito did not play any of the guitars on the early Jackson 5 recordings, as Joe Jackson and Motown had those parts played by a succession of session musicians.

While still part of the Jackson 5, Michael and Jermaine embarked on solo careers (Michael in 1971 and Jermaine a year later). By the mid 1970s, the band’s popularity was on the wane and Tito and his brothers were chafing under their exclusive Motown deal. Looking for a new direction, the band left Motown for Epic Records in 1975, but were forced to change their name to The Jacksons. Jermaine decided to stay with Motown and pursue a solo career, so Randy graduated to becoming a full band member that The Jacksons could remain a five-piece.

The Epic years saw The Jacksons release two albums (1976’s The Jacksons and 1977 Goin’ Places) that seemingly continued the band’s creative rut, as they continued to perform and record songs written for them. The 1978 album Destiny, a record over which The Jacksons had full creative control for the first time in their careers, proved to be a smash hit success, spawning the international hit singles “Blame It on the Boogie” and “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground).” Destiny sold over 4 million copies worldwide and see the band embark on a global tour. Notably, Tito would have four co-writing credits on the album as part of the band.

The Jacksons followed up Destiny, with the equally successful album Triumph in 1980. Coming on the heels of Michael Jackson’s monster 1979 debut album Off the Wall, Triumph saw the brothers share vocal and writing duties on many of the songs, but with Michael leading the way. The album contained the singles “Lovely One,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” the enduring hit “Can You Feel It” and “Walk Right Now.” Notably, Tito would see a co-writing credit on this album for the song “Everybody.”

After the Motown 25 television special in 1983, Jermaine Jackson rejoined The Jacksons and the now six-piece act released the album Victory in 1984. The album, again following on the record-breaking success of Michael’s solo album Thriller, was a huge commercial hit, and featured the singles “State of Shock,” “Torture,” “Body” and “Wait.” On Victory, Tito produced, wrote, and sang on the song “We Can Change The World.”

Tensions within the band, and most notably Michael’s ascent to era-defining superstardom, meant The Jacksons were becoming a secondary consideration for many of the members. Michael and Marlon left the group at the end of the Victory world tour, and the remaining members released 2300 Jackson Street, their final album as a group, in 1989.

In the following years, each of the brothers would go on to pursue solo projects. Tito’s three sons with Delores Martes, performing as the band 3T, would achieve a modicum of chart success outside the U.S. in the 1990s, releasing their debut album Brotherhood in 1995, which would sell 3 million copies worldwide. The band would release a string of popular singles including “Anything,” “Tease Me,” “24/7,” “I Need You” and the song “Why” which featured their uncle Michael.

In September 2001, nearly 17 years after their last performance together, all six Jackson brothers reunited for two performances (Sept. 7 and Sept. 10) at Madison Square Garden for a 30th anniversary special commemorating Michael’s solo career. The two MSG gigs were aired on television in November of that year.

In 2003, Tito, now always sporting his trademark bowler hat, began to perform solo as a blues guitarist. It wasn’t until 2016, that he released his first solo album, Tito Time. The album featured songs written by Tito as well as his sons and spawned the singles “Get It Baby” (featuring Big Daddy Kane) and “When the Magic Happens” (featuring Jocelyn Brown). Tito released his second and final album, Under Your Spell, in 2021.