Tito Jackson, Founding Member of Jackson 5, Dead at 70

Tito Jackson, a founding member of the influential family band the Jackson 5, has died at the age of 70. His family confirmed his death with a statement to NBC Los Angeles, and his sons posted the news on Instagram as well.

“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,” Taj, Taryll, and TJ Jackson wrote in a joint statement on social media.

The statement continued, “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.”

Jackson’s sons then urged fans to “remember to do what our father always preached and that is ‘Love One Another,’” concluding the statement with a message to Jackson, writing, “We love you Pops.”

Tito Jackson Dead at 70, Influential Hits Included “ABC” and “I Want You Back”

The Jackson 5 found immense fame in the 60s and 70s with a run of hits like “ABC,” “I Want You Back,” and “The Love You Save,” among others. Members included Tito, along with his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael Jackson.

In 1997, Tito was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Jackson 5. However, while part of the Jackson 5, Tito was prevented from playing guitar on recordings by Motown execs. When the band split with Motown and signed with Epic Records in the 70s, Tito began recording guitar parts on their songs.

In 2003, Tito Jackson launched a successful solo career. In 2016, he released the heavily Jackson 5-inspired album Tito Time, as he wanted an entire album under his own name. However, as he told Blues Blast Magazine in 2021, “at the back of my mind, I wanted to do a blues album. My love really sits with that genre of music.”

He released his blues album, Under Your Spell, in 2021. “What I’m tryin’ to do with that one is to invite some listeners of other genres back to the blues,” Jackson said of the album. “The blues deserve a chance, and I tried to make a record that folks will play at barbecues and family gatherings and have a good time when they do.”

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