There are reports this morning that Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5, has died.. Tito would have turned 71 on October 15th.
Tito was Michael’s older brother by five years. He was also the father of the 3Ts– TJ, Taryll, and Taj — who formed their own pop group in the 1990s. Tito was considered one of the more benign brothers, a very talented musician who was also a good father. It was his son TJ who became the guardian for Michael’s children in 2009 when the singer was killed by Dr. Conrad Murray.
Recently, Tito had been living in Tulsa, Oklahoma trying to put together various deals. He was planning opening a music club called Tito’s with local backers. According to ETonline, Tito had a heart attack driving to Tulsa from New Mexico.
The attraction to Tulsa was because the Jacksons had roots there dating back to 1917. Tito’s uncle, Samuel, was hired to bury the people killed in the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921.
In 2005, when the Jacksons were fighting to get their hands on Michael’s money, and Michael was on trial, Tito was considered the outlier. Instead of hoping the Jacksons would reunite, Tito set off to play gigs on his own. He distinguished himself as a musician and entrepreneur. You can read more about him at https://titojackson.com/
What a shame. Condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
