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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Funeral services were pending Monday for Tito Jackson, one of the members of the influential pop group The Jackson 5, who has died at age 70, according to his sons.
Tito Jackson was the third of nine children in the family, including superstars Michael and sister Janet. The music-making family's songs are still beloved all over the world Monday.
"It's with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson, is no longer with us," his sons TJ, Taj and Taryll said in a statement posted on Instagram late Sunday. "We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being."
The post continued: "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."
He died of an apparent heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on Sunday, former Jackson family manager Steve Manning told Entertainment Monday evening.
The Jackson 5, made up of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, rose to fame with a string of No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including "ABC," "I Want You Back," and "I'll Be There." The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Guided by their father, Joe Jackson, a steelworker and guitarist, the family became one of the biggest names in music.
After nonstop touring and winning numerous talent competitions, The Jackson 5 landed their big break in 1969, when they signed an exclusive seven- year deal with Berry Gordy's Motown Records.
Originally from Gary, Indiana, the family's musical success led them to relocate to California.
Tito Jackson and two family members had still been performing as The Jacksons, with upcoming concerts scheduled for Oct. 25 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Nov. 1 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He managed his sons' band, 3T, and all three were featured in the 2015 reality series "The Jacksons: Next Generation," which aired on Lifetime and followed the brothers as they tried to balance their music careers with family life and the pressures of being a Jackson.
Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson, born on Oct. 15, 1953, was often the quietest member of the group, contributing as a background singer and guitarist. While his brothers pursued solo careers, including Michael, who rose to global fame as the "King of Pop," Tito remained more behind the scenes.
Michael Jackson left the band in 1984 after his album "Thriller" became one of the best-selling albums of all time, winning him eight Grammy Awards as a solo artist.
Michael Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009.
Tito Jackson was the last of the nine Jackson siblings to launch a solo career, making his debut with the 2016 album "Tito Time." In 2017, he released the single "One Way Street." Another solo album, "Under Your Spell," was released in 2021.
He intentionally delayed his solo pursuits to focus on raising his three sons.
Tito Jackson is survived by his sons, TJ, Taj and Taryll.