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By Veronica Mackey
Tito Jackson, one of the founding members of the beloved Jackson 5, died on Sunday at 70.
A family told the New York Times that the singer died of a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma. According to the Daily Mail, a passerby spotted Jackson and saw that he needed medical attention. The driver flagged down police near the American Heritage Plaza shopping center in New Mexico, where he had apparently pulled over after experiencing some discomfort. He was transported to the hospital, but pronounced dead hours later.
Sons of the singer and musician confirmed the news Sunday evening on Instagram, writing, “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.”
They described their dad as “an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being.”
Tito Jackson was the third of nine children, and part of a musical family dynasty which included brothers, Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and breakout star Michael. Michael and baby sister Janet would go on to reach super stardom as solo artists.
The Jackson 5 rose to worldwide fame and popularity in the ‘70s and continued to top the music charts with hits like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save” and “I’ll Be There,” under the iconic Motown label.
By the mid ‘80s, Michael Jackson had become a multi-platinum solo performer. He rarely performed with his brothers, but they did team up to produce the “Victory” album in 1984. During this time, Tito, Jackie, and Marlon renamed themselves the Jacksons. Randy, the youngest Jackson brother joined the group, which produced such hits as “Enjoy Yourself,” “Lovely One” and “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground).”
Tito began performing as a solo artist decades later, releasing “Tito Time” in 2016. He said he delayed going solo in order to raise his sons, whose mother Dee Dee, was murdered in 1994.
The quiet one of the group, Tito decided to leave California in 2023. He told the Daily Mail, “I always wanted to get away from the West Coast and experience living somewhere with new people and new culture.”
In 2023, he relocated to Claremore, OK, a small town with a population of less than 20,000. He told Tulsa World, he had found the peace of mind he was seeking.
Tito was preceded in death by his brother Michael, who died in 2009, and his father Joe who passed away in 2018.
