Tito Jackson , one of the brothers turned founding members of the iconic pop group Jackson 5, has died at the age of 70, according to his family.
On Sunday, Sept. 15, Tito's sons– TJ , Taj and Taryll –shared the news of his sudden passing in a statement posted to Instagram.
“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,” they wrote .
"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," the solemn statement concluded.
Born on Oct. 15, 1953, in Gary, Ind., Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson originally co-founded the family group alongside his brothers Jackie , Jermaine , Marlon and Michael in 1964. For his part, Tito was a guitarist and background vocalist. The quintet would go on to perform for about a decade under the management of their father, Joe , rising to stardom with several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including Grammy-nominated “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There."
When the group changed labels in the mid-70s , leaving Motown Records for Epic Records, they were also forced to change their name, later becoming known as the Jacksons. At the same time, Jermaine opted to stay with Motown, leading younger brother Randy to join the group as an official full-time member.
The group remained active until the 1990s, even while some members entertained very successful solo careers–including Tito, who admittedly rather focus on being a father to his kids, which is why he purposefully held back from scaling his solo career . Years later, the family pop group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Though she was never part of the Jacksons, Tito's little sister Janet also went on to become a huge pop sensation.
Tito married Delores "Dee Dee" Jackson in 1972, and the two welcomed three sons before divorcing in 1988. Dee Dee was tragically murdered a few years later.
He is survived by his three sons, his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon and Jackie, his sisters Janet, Rebbie and La Toya , and their mother, Katherine . Tito's younger brother Michael preceded him in death , passing away at the age of 50 in June 2009.
Speaking to The Associated Press in December 2009, Jackson said his younger brother’s death pulled the family closer together. “I would say definitely it brought us a step closer to each other. To recognize that the love we have for each other when one of us is not here, what a great loss,” he said at the time, adding he would personally never “be at peace with it.”
Further information regarding the musician's passing–like a cause of death or memorial plans–was not immediately available.
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