Tito Jackson, a founding member of the legendary Jackson 5, passed away at 70.
The news was confirmed by the Jackson family’s former manager, Steve Manning, and later shared by Jackson’s sons—TJ, Taj, and Taryll—on social media.
“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,” his sons TJ, Taj, and Taryll said in a statement on Instagram late Sunday.
According to PEOPLE, the musician reportedly suffered a heart attack while traveling between New Mexico and Oklahoma on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
His sudden death has left fans, family, and the music industry heartbroken.
Tito Jackson’s importance to The Jackson 5
Jackson, born Toriano Adaryll Jackson in 1953, was one of nine children in the famous Jackson family from Gary, Indiana. He was the third eldest and played a pivotal role in the rise of the Jackson 5, a pop and R&B group featuring his brothers Michael, Jackie, Jermaine, and Marlon.
The Jackson 5 rose to international fame in the late 1960s and 1970s with a string of hit singles, including I Want You Back, ABC, and I’ll Be There.
Their infectious sound and impeccable choreography made them a household name, with Tito providing the group’s solid guitar foundation.
The Jackson 5’s meteoric rise eventually led them to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, cementing their legacy in music history. However, Tito’s career extended far beyond his early years with the group.
Tito Jackson’s solo career and later life
In the 2000s, Tito embraced his love for blues and funk, performing globally, including tours with the BB King Blues Band. His solo career began later than that of his famous siblings, with the release of his first album, Tito Time, in 2016. He followed up in 2021 with Under Your Spell, which was primarily blues-inspired, a genre that Jackson said deeply influenced his passion for music.
Tito Jackson remained active in music until his passing. He had been performing with his brothers Jackie and Marlon as part of The Jacksons, continuing to tour internationally. According to Sky News, their last performance occurred on September 8, 2024, in Surrey, England, just days before his death. Jackson had also recently visited a memorial dedicated to his late brother, Michael Jackson, in Munich, Germany, an emotional visit that he shared on social media.
Tito Jackson leaves behind a lasting legacy in music, not just through his work with the Jackson 5 but also through his solo endeavors and his dedication to his family. He is survived by his sons—members of the R&B group 3T—along with his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, and Jackie and his sisters Janet, Rebbie, and La Toya. His death marks the end of an era for one of music’s most iconic families.