Tito Jackson, a member of The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson’s brother, has died.
He was seventy years old.
Former Jackson family manager Steve Manning told Entertainment Tonight that Tito died of an apparent heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on Sunday.
However, the formal cause of death has not yet been determined.
Taj, Taryll, and TJ, the singer and guitarist’s sons, acknowledged their father’s death in an Instagram post on Sunday, stating that they were “shocked, saddened, and heartbroken” by his unexpected demise.
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“With heavy hearts, we announce that our dear father, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson, is no longer with us. We are startled, horrified, and grieved,” his sons wrote on the web page of their R&B trio, 3T.
“Our father was a wonderful man who was concerned about everyone’s well-being. Some of you may recognize him as Tito Jackson from the iconic Jackson 5, ‘Coach Tito’, or ‘Poppa T.'”
Nonetheless, he will be greatly missed. It’ll always be ‘Tito Time’ for us. Please remember what our father always preached: ‘Love One Another.’ “We love you, Pops.”
Tito Jackson, born Toriano Adaryll Jackson on October 15, 1953, in Gary, Indiana, was the third of Katherine and Joe Jackson’s ten children, which included global superstars Michael Jackson and his sister Janet.
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Joe Jackson formed the Jackson Brothers in 1964 after noticing his son Tito’s promising vocal and guitar abilities at a young age.
As the family’s music careers took off, they went to California.
In 1966, the trio evolved into the Jackson 5, with Michael and Marlon joining the mix, and Tito serving as the family group’s background singer and guitarist.
The Jackson 5 broke into the public in 1969, when they signed a seven-year contract with Motown Records and rapidly became the label’s top act.
The band left Motown in 1975, joined with Epic Records, and was compelled to change their name to The Jacksons.
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Michael departed the band in 1984, when his record “Thriller” became one of the best-selling albums in history, earning him eight Grammy Awards as a solo artist.
The Jackson 5, who dominated the charts in the 1970s with classics such as “ABC,” “I’ll Be There,” and “I Want You Back,” were all elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Although The Jacksons never formally disbanded, Tito pursued a solo career, releasing two studio albums, “Tito Time” in 2016 and “Under Your Spell” in 2021.
Tito had been performing as The Jacksons with brothers Jackie and Marlon, with gigs scheduled for Scotland, California, and England in the summer of 2024.
Days before his death, Tito posted on Facebook from Munich, Germany, on September 11, where he visited a Michael Jackson monument 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 recalled.
“We are really appreciative for this wonderful spot that respects not only his memories but also our common legacy. “Thank you for keeping his spirit alive.”
The brothers were set to appear at Atlantic City, New Jersey, on October 25 and Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 1.
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