Tito Jackson, Michael's brother and member of Jackson 5, dies at 70, sons say
Revised on: September 16, 2024 / 6:49 AM EDT / CBS/AP
Tito Jackson and Natalia Damini join forces for their latest track, "Attitude."
Tito Jackson, a member of the famous pop band the Jackson 5, has passed away at the age of 70, according to his sons.
Tito was the third of the nine siblings in the Jackson family, which includes worldwide icons Michael and Janet. They are part of a family known for their music, and their songs are still cherished by many.
It is with great sadness that we share the news of our dear father, Tito Jackson, a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, has passed away. We are in disbelief, filled with sorrow, and heartbroken. Our dad was an amazing person who genuinely cared for others and their happiness," his sons, TJ, Taj, and Taryll, expressed in a statement shared on Instagram and Facebook late Sunday.
The news of Jackson's passing was initially shared by "Entertainment Tonight." They indicated via a social media update that Steve Manning, a close friend of the Jackson family and their former manager, informed them that Tito died today. Although the official cause of death is still pending, Manning suspects that Tito may have experienced a heart attack while he was driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma.
The Jackson 5 was made up of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael. This family band, which was honored with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, delivered numerous chart-topping songs in the 1970s, such as "ABC," "I Want You Back," and "I'll Be There."
The Jackson 5 rose to fame in the music industry thanks to their father, Joe Jackson, who was a steelworker and a guitar enthusiast. He worked hard to provide for his wife and their nine kids in Gary, Indiana. As their musical careers flourished, the family moved to California.
Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson was born on October 15, 1953. Though often in the background, he contributed as a singer and guitarist in the group. While Tito primarily supported his brothers, many of them, including Michael, pursued solo paths, with Michael eventually rising to fame as one of the most iconic entertainers in the world, earning the title The King of Pop.
Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009.
In an interview with The Associated Press in December 2009, Tito Jackson mentioned that the passing of his younger brother brought the family closer.
"I can definitely say that it has helped us feel more connected. Realizing the love we share when one of us is absent makes it clear just how profound that absence is," he mentioned, noting that he would never truly "come to terms with it."
"There are still times when I find it hard to accept. I don't think that feeling will ever completely fade," he expressed.
In 2014, Tito Jackson expressed that he and his siblings still sensed the gap left by Michael Jackson during their performances, even as they continued to tour around the world.
"I don't believe we'll ever really adjust to performing without him. We miss him deeply," he shared, mentioning that his presence "is felt with us during our performances. It brings us a lot of positive energy and puts smiles on our faces."
Just a few days before he passed away, Tito Jackson shared a post on his Facebook account from Munich, Germany, on September 11. He was there with his brothers to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at a memorial.
"Before our performance in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon, and I took some time to visit the stunning tribute dedicated to our dear brother, Michael Jackson. We are truly thankful for this meaningful site that celebrates both his memory and our collective legacy. We appreciate everyone for preserving his spirit," he expressed.
Tito Jackson was the final sibling among the nine Jacksons to put out a solo album, debuting with "Tito Time" in 2016. He followed up with a single in 2017 called "One Way Street" and mentioned to the Associated Press in 2019 that he was in the process of creating a second album.
Jackson explained that he intentionally decided not to chase a solo career so that he could concentrate on parenting his three sons, who created their own music group called 3T. On Tito Jackson's website, there's a link to a song featuring 3T and Stevie Wonder named "Love One Another."
Tito Jackson is also survived by his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, and Jackie, as well as his sisters Janet, Rebbie, and LaToya. Their mother, Katherine, is still living, while their father passed away in 2018.
