Tito Jackson, a founding member of pop quintet The Jackson 5, has passed away at the age of 70 from a heart attack. Jackson’s three sons broke the news on social media.
Posting to Instagram over the weekend, the sons of The Jackson 5 stalwart wrote, “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.”
As one of the original members of The Jackson 5, Tito Jackson worked not only vocals but also lead guitar and synthesizer to help round out the signature sound of the band, who formed in 1964 under the guidance of their controlling father/manager Joe. With their debut album, The Jackson 5 scored one of their biggest hits – and one of their trademark songs – in “I Want You Back.” Their 1970 follow-up, ABC, would feature the title track, while their aptly titled Third Album offered “I’ll Be There”. That same year saw the release of their immediately classic Christmas album. After leaving Motown Records, The Jackson 5 rebranded as The Jacksons.
After Michael left, The Jackson 5 (then going by just The Jacksons) released one more album, 1989’s 2300 Jackson Street. While they would tour once more without Michael in 2012-2014, their acclaim and fame was far from what it was at its peak.
While almost exclusively tied to The Jackson 5, Tito Jackson would go on to do some solo work later in his career, scoring the single “Get It Baby” off of his debut album, 2016’s Tito Time.
What was your favorite song from The Jackson 5? Drop your pick and pay condolences to the late Tito Jackson in the comments section below.
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