Jackson 5 Legend, Tito Dies at 70

Yinka Olatunbosun 

A former Motown legend and member of the iconic pop group Jackson 5, Tito Jackson, has died at 70. This sad incident was announced in an Instagram post earlier Monday by his sons — Taj, TaryII and TJ.

“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.

The third of the nine Jackson children, Tito was brother to late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, as well as the pop diva, Janet Jackson. Born on October 15, 1953 as Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson, he was the least-heard member of the group as a background singer who played guitar. 

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.