Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5 and brother of Michael Jackson, has passed away at 70, his family confirmed. His sons announced the news on Instagram, expressing their heartbreak and saying, “It will forever be ‘Tito Time’ for us.”

 

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Tito, along with his brothers, rose to fame in the late 1960s and 1970s with hits like “ABC” and “I Want You Back,” after signing with Motown in 1969. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and was nominated for three Grammys. Despite the Jackson 5’s success, Michael Jackson’s solo career overshadowed the group, with Michael becoming one of the most iconic musical figures before his death in 2009 at age 50.

Although Tito was prevented from playing guitar on Jackson 5 recordings in favor of session musicians, he launched a solo blues career in 2003. Raised in Gary, Indiana, the Jackson family was managed by their strict father, Joe Jackson, contributing to their early success.