Tito Jackson, member of beloved pop group the Jackson 5, dies at 70

This July 24, 2019 photo shows Tito Jackson, a member of the famed Jackson 5, posing for a portrait in Los Angeles to promote his solo project, a new version of his 2017 song “One Way Street.” Image: Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP

Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died. He was 70.

Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, which include global superstars Michael and sister Janet, part of a music-making family whose songs are still beloved today.

“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,” his sons TJ, Taj, and Taryll said in a statement posted on Instagram late Sunday, Sept. 15.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 3T (@3tworld)

The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael. The family group, which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.”

The Jackson 5 became one of the biggest names in music under the guidance of their father, Joe Jackson, a steelworker and guitar player who supported his wife and nine children in Gary, Indiana. As the family’s music careers took off, they relocated to California.

Born on Oct. 15, 1953, Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson was the least-heard member of the group as a background singer who played guitar. His brothers launched solo careers, including Michael, who became one of the world’s biggest performers known as The King of Pop.

Michael Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009.

Speaking to The Associated Press in December 2009, Jackson said his younger brother’s death pulled the family closer together.

“I would say definitely it brought us a step closer to each other. To recognize that the love we have for each other when one of us is not here, what a great loss,” he said, adding he would personally never “be at peace with it.”

“There’s still moments when I just can’t believe it. So I think that’s never going to go away,” he said.

The five Jackson brothers who sing as the Jackson Five, are about ready to resume school after a summer vacation on Aug. 31, 1971, that took them to 40 cities in 60 days, playing concerts that attracted as many as 160,000. At the top are Marlon, 14; left, and Michael, 12. Below are, left to right: Jackie 20; Tito 17, and Jermaine, 16. Image: AP Photo/David Smith

In 2014, Jackson said he and his brothers still felt Michael Jackson’s absence in their shows, which continued with international tours.

“I don’t think we will ever get used to performing without him. He’s dearly missed,” he said, noting that Michael’s spirit “is with us when we are performing. It gives us a lot of positive energy and puts a lot of smiles on our faces.”

Days before his death, Jackson posted a message on his Facebook page from Germany on Sept. 11, where he visited a memorial to Michael Jackson with his brothers.

“Before our show in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon, and I, visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother, Michael Jackson. We’re deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive,” he wrote.

Tito Jackson was the last of the nine Jackson siblings to release a solo project with his 2016 debut, “Tito Time.” He released a song in 2017, “One Way Street,” and told the AP in 2019 that he was working on a sophomore album.

Jackson said he purposely held back from pursuing a solo career because he wanted to focus on raising his three sons, TJ, Taj, and Taryll, who formed their own music group, 3T. Jackson’s website offers a link to a single featuring 3T and Stevie Wonder titled, “Love One Another.”

Tito Jackson also is survived by his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, and Jackie, his sisters Janet, Rebbie, and La Toya, and their mother, Katherine. Their father died in 2018.

Jackson’s death was first reported by Entertainment Tonight.