Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died at the age of 70, his sons announced.
Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, who include global superstars Michael and his sister Janet, members of a musical family whose songs are still beloved today.
“It is 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 said in a statement posted on Instagram and Facebook Sunday night.
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Jackson’s death was first reported by “Entertainment Tonight,” which said in a social media post that “Steve Manning, a longtime Jackson family friend and former Jackson family manager, told ET that Tito passed away today. While the official cause of death has not yet been determined, Manning believes Tito suffered a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma.”
The Jackson 5 consisted of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. The family group, which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.”
The Jackson 5 became one of the biggest names in music under the leadership of their father, Joe Jackson, a steelworker and guitarist who supported his wife and nine children in Gary, Indiana. When the family’s music career took off, they moved to California.
Born October 15, 1953, Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson was the least known member of the group as a backing vocalist and guitarist. His brothers went on to solo careers, including Michael, who became one of the biggest artists in the world and was dubbed the King of Pop.
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Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009.
Speaking to The Associated Press in December 2009, Tito Jackson said his younger brother’s death had brought the family closer together.
“I would say it really brought us closer together. To recognize the love we have for each other when one of us is not here, what a great loss,” he said, adding that he personally would never be “at peace with that.”
“There are still times when I can’t believe it. So I don’t think it will ever go away,” he said.
In 2014, Tito Jackson said that he and his brothers still felt the absence of Michael Jackson in their shows, which continued with international tours.
“I don’t think we’ll ever get used to playing without him. We miss him a lot,” he said, noting that his spirit “is with us when we play. He gives us a lot of positive energy and makes us smile.”
Days before his death, Tito Jackson posted a message on his Facebook page from Munich, Germany, on September 11, where he had visited a memorial to Michael Jackson with his brothers.
“Prior to our concert in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon and I visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother, Michael Jackson. We are deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive,” he wrote.
Tito Jackson was the last of the nine Jackson siblings to release a solo project, with his debut album, “Tito Time,” in 2016. He released a song in 2017, “One Way Street,” and told the AP in 2019 that he was working on a second album.
Jackson has said he has deliberately avoided pursuing a solo career because he wanted to focus on raising his three sons, who have formed their own band, 3T. Tito Jackson’s website links to a single featuring 3T and Stevie Wonder called “Love One Another.”
Tito Jackson also leaves behind his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon and Jackie, his sisters Janet, Rebbie and Latoya and their mother, Katherine. Their father passed away in 2018.
