Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, including global stars Michael and his sister Janet, who are part 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 to Instagram late Sunday.
THE Jackson 5 included 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 guidance 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 on October 15, 1953, Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson was the least listened to member of the group as a background singer playing guitar. His brothers went on to solo careers, including Michael, who became one of the biggest artists in the world, known as the King of Pop.
Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009.
Speaking to The Associated Press in December 2009, Jackson said his younger brother’s death had brought the family closer together.
“I would say it definitely brought us closer together. To recognize the love that we have for each other when one of us is not there, it’s a big loss,” he said, adding that he would never be “at peace with that.”
“There are still times when I can’t believe it. I don’t think it will ever go away,” he said.
In 2014, Jackson said that he and his brothers still felt Michael Jackson’s absence in their shows, which continued with international tours.
“I don’t think we’ll ever get used to playing without him. We miss him so much,” he said, noting that Michael’s spirit “is with us when we perform. It gives us a lot of positive energy and makes us smile.”
A few days before his death, Tito Jackson posted a message on his Facebook page from Germany on September 11, where he visited a memorial dedicated to Michael Jackson with his brothers.
“Prior to our show 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 in 2016, Tito Time. He released a song in 2017, One Way Streetand told the AP in 2019 that he was working on a second album.
Jackson has said he has intentionally refrained from pursuing a solo career because he wanted to focus on raising his three sons, TJ, Taj and Taryll, who have formed their own band, 3T. Tito Jackson’s website links to a single by 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 La Toya, and their mother, Katherine. Their father died in 2018.
Tito Jackson’s death was first reported by Entertainment Tonight.
