Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5 Dies at 70

Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5 Dies at 70

Tito Jackson, one of the founding members of the “Jackson 5” along with brothers Jermaine, Jackie, Marlon, and Michael, died on September 15 at the age of 70. 

A family friend confirmed his passing to Entertainment Tonight. 

“Steve Manning, a longtime friend and associate of the Jackson family…told ET that he believed Tito suffered a heart attack while driving on a road trip, adding that the cause of death was officially undetermined,” reported Variety.

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“Jackson had recently been performing with brothers Marlon and Jackie under the renewed aegis of the Jacksons, including a date as recently as one week ago in England,” Variety continued. “An L.A. audience saw a set by the Jacksons at the Fool in Love Festival at Hollywood Park on Aug. 31. Tito had also recorded and done many shows as a blues guitarist in the last 20 years, under his own banner or with the B.B. King Blues Band”

Born on October 15, 1953, in Gary, Indiana, Jackson was an essential member of the Jackson 5, which rose to fame in the late 1960s and 1970s under the Motown label and later with Epic Records. 

The group's notable hits included "I Want You Back" and "ABC," and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

Jackson began his solo career in 2003, focusing on blues music. He released the album Tito Time in 2016, achieving commercial success with the single "Get It Baby." His follow-up album, Under Your Spell, released in 2021, continued his exploration of blues and featured collaborations with several notable artists.

Born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson, Tito was the third of ten children. He is survived by his three sons—Taj, Taryll, and TJ Jackson—and nine grandchildren.

This obituary was written in conjunction with Chat GPT.