The news came this morning like a sledgehammer blow because it was so unexpected. Tito Jackson has left us at the age of 70, while he was still on stage with his brothers in Munich a few days ago. After the death of his brother Michael in 2009, we lose for the second time a member of the Jackson 5.
Tito was the group’s guitarist, and as we pay tribute to him, it is good to recall that it was through him that the legend of the Jackson family began. Having borrowed Papa Joe’s guitar without his knowledge, a broken string was about to seal the fate of this extraordinary family.
The patriarch was of course angry when he discovered that his instrument was touched in his absence, but it was above all a trigger that allowed him to discover his children’s interest and talent for music. Tito thus passed the most important audition of his life when he had to demonstrate his skills. That is how the Jackson 5 began to rise to the top, starting from Gary toward California.
It was through amateur contests that Tito built himself with the sound of his amp and his guitar, intentionally in the background to give Marlon, Jackie and Michael free rein to express themselves in singing and choreography. This is how he expressed himself on stage, countering his frustration at not being able to play his instrument during studio sessions with Motown.
It is true that this artist had many other passions in his life and did not intend to focus entirely on his art. His marriage to Dee Dee at the age of 19 in 1972 and the birth of Taj, his first son, the following year testify to this. Taryll and TJ would follow: Tito was thus already the father of his three boys at the age of 25. It was in this context that he passed on above all his passion for baseball to them, long before music, as both a player and a coach.
During the many tours of his group, he took the opportunity to visit car scrap yards in certain cities where old cars had been manufactured in large quantities, searching for spare parts for Ford Model Ts and Model As, then tinkering with old cars. This other passion for restoring old cars made his hands those of a manual worker, and that is how he distinguished himself from his brothers.
The news came this morning like a sledgehammer blow because it was so unexpected. Tito Jackson has left us at the age of 70, while he was still on stage with his brothers in Munich a few days ago. After the death of his brother Michael in 2009, we lose for the second time a member of the Jackson 5.
Tito was the group’s guitarist, and as we pay tribute to him, it is good to recall that it was through him that the legend of the Jackson family began. Having borrowed Papa Joe’s guitar without his knowledge, a broken string was about to seal the fate of this extraordinary family.
The patriarch was of course angry when he discovered that his instrument was touched in his absence, but it was above all a trigger that allowed him to discover his children’s interest and talent for music. Tito thus passed the most important audition of his life when he had to demonstrate his skills. That is how the Jackson 5 began to rise to the top, starting from Gary toward California.
It was through amateur contests that Tito built himself with the sound of his amp and his guitar, intentionally in the background to give Marlon, Jackie and Michael free rein to express themselves in singing and choreography. This is how he expressed himself on stage, countering his frustration at not being able to play his instrument during studio sessions with Motown.
It is true that this artist had many other passions in his life and did not intend to focus entirely on his art. His marriage to Dee Dee at the age of 19 in 1972 and the birth of Taj, his first son, the following year testify to this. Taryll and TJ would follow: Tito was thus already the father of his three boys at the age of 25. It was in this context that he passed on above all his passion for baseball to them, long before music, as both a player and a coach.
During the many tours of his group, he took the opportunity to visit car scrap yards in certain cities where old cars had been manufactured in large quantities, searching for spare parts for Ford Model Ts and Model As, then tinkering with old cars. This other passion for restoring old cars made his hands those of a manual worker, and that is how he distinguished himself from his brothers.
Of all these memories, the best moment of the concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York celebrating the 30 years of the King of Pop’s career will remain his reunions with his brothers. One would have loved this to last longer because it was so moving.
It would not be surprising that this historic moment was not picked up by the media. It would take until 2012 to see the Jackson brothers on stage again without Michael, for reasons that are known. After all these years, it was good to see them again and also celebrate Michael and his legacy in this way. That is how the group regularly toured the world year after year and even now we must measure this chance because it would have been sad to say goodbye to Tito without having had the chance to see him on stage.
In his last years, he offered us two solo albums in 2016 and 2021 even though he remained the last brother never to have taken this step before. With Tito Time and Under Your Spell, he gives us this bluesman universe he often dreamed of. The pleasure of making music above all, he who loved playing festivals solo in the image of a musician taking pleasure in clubs as I said above.
I was lucky enough to see him three times on stage with two meet-and-greets as well. I would gladly cite this date in Santander in 2018 during which I was able to give each of the brothers a copy of Let’s Make HIStory. A great memory that will remain engraved.
However, another anecdote comes to mind from my first encounter in Carcassonne in 2014. I was able to stay a few minutes in the dressing room before the concert and take a photo with the group.
The manager had then signaled to me that it was time to leave, that the brothers had to change to go on stage. Feeling rushed, I pulled out my Motown 25 Laserdisc to have it signed. It was Tito who immediately saw me in distress and came toward me to sign it.
He didn’t stop there and called each of his brothers to do the same. It was just as well because they had not paid attention to me and to my keepsake.
By his help, my mission was accomplished. I was fully aware of that and as I left, it was with a big smile that I turned toward him, thumb raised. It was thus that he returned that smile to me, as if he fully sensed my joy. That is how I will remember it and that was the moment to share it. A thought for his family and loved ones. May he rest in peace…
