Tito Jackson, an original member of the legendary Jackson 5 and older brother to pop superstars Michael and Janet Jackson, has passed away at the age of 70, his family confirmed late Sunday.
Tito’s sons, Taj, Taryll, and TJ, who make up the music group 3T, broke the heartbreaking news on Instagram, sharing a photo of themselves with their father. “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson, is no longer with us,” they wrote. “We are shocked, saddened, and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being.”
The post also encouraged fans to live by their father’s mantra: “Please remember to do what our father always preached, and that is ‘Love One Another.’ We love you Pops. Your boys, Taj, Taryll, and TJ.”
Family friend Steve Manning told Entertainment Tonight that Tito suffered an apparent heart attack while driving from New Mexico to his home in Oklahoma on Sunday.
Tito had recently been performing with his brothers Marlon and Jackie as The Jacksons, touring in Germany, England, and California.
As an original member of The Jackson 5, Tito helped shape the sound that made the family group an international sensation. The Jackson 5, consisting of Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael, and Tito, signed with Motown Records in 1969. They released several hit singles, including “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There”, dominating the music scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Tito’s younger brother Michael Jackson went on to become a global pop icon, but his life was cut short when he died in 2009 at the age of 50.
In 1997, Tito and his brothers in The Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Motown legend Diana Ross, cementing their place in music history.
