Tito Jackson, a member of the iconic family band The Jackson 5 and the brother of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died.
He was 70 years old.
Tito died of an apparent heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on Sunday, former Jackson family manager Steve Manning told Entertainment Tonight.
However, an official cause of death has yet to be determined.
The singer and guitarist’s sons, Taj, Taryll, and TJ, confirmed their father’s death in an Instagram post on Sunday, saying they were “shocked, saddened and heartbroken” by their father’s sudden death.
“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,” his sons wrote on the official page of their R&B group 3T.
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. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is ‘Love One Another.’ We love you Pops.”
Born Toriano Adaryll Jackson on Oct. 15, 1953, in Gary, Indiana, and was the third of 10 children of Katherine and Joe Jackson, including worldwide superstars Michael Jackson and their sister Janet Jackson.
After seeing his son Tito’s promising skills as a singer and guitarist at a young age, Joe Jackson created the group the Jackson Brothers in 1964, consisting of Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie.
As the family’s music careers skyrocketed, they relocated to California.
The group expanded into the Jackson 5 in 1966, adding Michael and Marlon to the mix, with Tito filling the role of a background singer and guitarist for the family group.
The Jackson 5 exploded into the mainstream in 1969 when they signed a seven-year deal with Motown Records and quickly became the label’s number-one act.
The band left Motown in 1975, signed with Epic Records, and was forced to change its name to The Jacksons.
Michael left the band in 1984 after his album “Thriller” became one of the best-selling albums of all time, winning him eight Grammy Awards as a solo artist.
The Jackson 5, who in their heyday in the 1970s topped the charts with hits like “ABC,” “I’ll Be There,” and “I Want You Back,” were all inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Though The Jacksons never officially called it quits as a band, Tito went on to have a solo career, releasing two studio albums, “Tito Time” in 2016 and “Under Your Spell” in 2021.
Tito had been performing with brothers Jackie and Marlon as The Jacksons and had shows in Scotland, California, and England over the summer of 2024.
Days before his death, Tito posted on Facebook from Munich, Germany, on Sept. 11, where he visited a memorial to Michael Jackson with his brothers while on tour in Europe.
“Before our show in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon, and I, visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother, Michael Jackson,” Tito wrote.
“We’re deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive.”
The brothers were scheduled to appear in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Oct. 25 and in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Nov. 1.
with Post wires
