“The blues deserve a chance… My love really sits with that genre of music”: Jackson 5 guitarist and singer Tito Jackson has died aged 70

Tito Jackson, best known as one of the founding members of the Jackson 5, has died on September 15 at the age of 70.

According to initial reports by Entertainment Tonight, longtime Jackson family friend Steve Manning revealed that Jackson suffered a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma.

Jackson is survived by his three sons, Taj, Taryll, and TJ, who together performed under the moniker 3T. In an Instagram post, they shared:

“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.

“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.’”

Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson was born on October 15, 1953, in Gary, Indiana. His father, renowned music manager Joe Jackson, bought him a guitar when he was 10 years old, after catching young Tito experimenting with his guitar and breaking a string in the process.

In 1963, the guitarist became part of the first iteration of the family band, The Jackson Brothers, alongside Jackie and Jermaine Jackson. Marlon and Michael joined a bit later, and the band transformed into the now-iconic Jackson 5.

Tito's rhythm guitar work was instrumental to the group's success. After winning a string of local talent contests, competing in and winning an amateur night competition at New York's Apollo Theater, and signing a deal with Steeltown Records in 1967, their career took off. Their debut single, Big Boy, was so successful that it earned them a deal with the legendary Motown record label.

In an interview with Blues Blast Magazine, Tito recounted how B.B. King influenced his guitar journey after he managed to meet him backstage.

“He signed my guitar,” Jackson recalled fondly. “It was the very first guitar that Berry Gordy [Motown founder] had bought me and the same one I played on The Ed Sullivan Show. I wanted that guitar because that’s what B.B. played back then – a Gibson 345 Stereo.”

The Jackson 5 went on to set new standards in global popularity, with Michael breaking out as the star. While Tito established himself as a top-tier guitarist during the Jackson 5 shows, their father and band manager never allowed them to write their own material or play on any of their records until they switched labels and moved to CBS in 1976.

The group eventually changed their name to The Jacksons and included brothers Randy, Jackie, and Marlon in different iterations, until each member started going their separate ways. Their 16th and final album, 2300 Jackson Street, was released in 1989.

In the years since, Tito remained busy as a session guitarist, producer, and music industry professional, including managing his sons' R&B group, 3T. He also played in a blues group with Al Green guitarist Angelo Earle, served as a judge on BBC-TV’s Just the Two of Us, produced the reality series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, and collaborated with L.A. Reid, Babyface, and Howard Hewitt, to name a few.

In 2016, he released his debut solo record, Tito Time, which was followed by 2021's Under Your Spell. His last project featured an impressive lineup of guests, including Stevie Wonder, Joe Bonamassa, Grady Champion, George Benson, brother Marlon Jackson, Bobby Rush, and the B.B. King band.

“I wanted to do a blues album. My love really sits with that genre of music,” Jackson said. “What I’m tryin’ to do with that one is to invite some listeners of other genres back to the blues.

“What the blues world needs is another crossover album like The Thrill Is Gone. Hopefully, it’s that one! The blues deserve a chance, and I tried to make a record that folks will play at barbecues and family gatherings and have a good time when they do.”