American guitarist Tito Jackson, member of the legendary group Jackson 5, has died, his sons said on Sunday evening. The elder brother of superstars Michael and Janet Jackson was 70 years old.
“We are shocked, sad, and heartbroken. Our man was an incredible man who cared about everyone,” his sons Taj, Taryll, and TJ, who make up the group 3T, wrote on Instagram. “Please remember to do what our father advocated, which is: ‘Love one another.’ We love you, Dad. Your boys.”
A family friend, Steve Manning, clarified to Entertainment Tonight that Tito Jackson appears to have passed away from a heart attack on Sunday while traveling from New Mexico to his home in Oklahoma.
He had recently performed in Germany, the UK, and California with his brothers Marlon and Jackie, calling themselves “The Jacksons.”
At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Tito Jackson was an original member of the family group The Jackson 5, with his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael – the future “King of Pop” who passed away in 2009. After signing with Motown Records in 1969, the Jackson 5 experienced worldwide success with hits like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There.”
Tito, like his brothers from the Jackson 5, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 by another Motown legend, Diana Ross. According to his website, the late musician had been touring since 2003 with his own blues and funk band.
In 2016, Tito was the last of the Jackson siblings to enter the Billboard charts with a solo-produced song, with the single “Get It Baby,” which was followed by his first solo album, “Tito Time.”
His second album – the first of blues – titled “Under Your Spell,” was released in 2021, featuring guests like George Benson, Bobby Rush, and Stevie Wonder. Tito Jackson’s ex-wife, Dolores, the mother of his three sons, passed away in 1994.