Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5 and a key figure in the group’s success with hits like “ABC” and “I’ll Be There,” has died at the age of 70.
He died of a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma. He had recently moved to a ranch in Claremore, Oklahoma.
The Jackson 5, which Tito was a part of, played a major role in Michael Jackson’s rise to fame. Michael, the “King of Pop,” passed away in 2009. The Jackson 5’s journey from Gary, Indiana, to stardom was depicted in the 1992 ABC mini-series “The Jacksons: An American Dream.”
In a 2019 interview, Tito Jackson shared that he used to play his father’s guitar behind his back as a child.
“One day I broke the string and I didn’t know what to do about it,” he said. “He came home and saw the string broke and was really upset about it.”
After being punished by his father, Tito Jackson was asked to demonstrate his skills on the guitar and was then tasked with learning every song on the radio.
The Jackson brothers initially performed as the Jackson Brothers, with Michael joining the group after a talent show performance of “Climb Every Mountain.”
The name was later changed to the Jackson 5 following a performance at a wedding. Tito, the second oldest, was followed by Jermaine, Marlon, and the youngest, Michael.
The Gallup Police Department reported that an officer was flagged down at the American Heritage Plaza by someone requesting medical assistance for an individual in need.
The person in distress was later identified as Tito Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.
“The individual was subsequently transported to a local hospital in Gallup, N.M., where he was pronounced dead. Following this, the hospital requested the presence of detectives and the Office of the Medical Investigator,” the agency said in a statement on its Facebook account.
“The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old Toriano ‘Tito’ Jackson from Tulsa, Oklahoma.”
The Gallup Police Department stated that their preliminary investigation is ongoing, with investigators interviewing witnesses and examining records.
They emphasized that their understanding of the situation may change as more evidence is reviewed.
No foul play is suspected, and they are awaiting preliminary findings from the medical investigator’s office, according to Police Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo.
