Most people think the Jackson family story begins with Michael Jackson. It actually started years earlier with a guitar that did not belong to him.
As a kid, Tito Jackson loved spending time with his father’s guitar. One day, he broke a string while playing it. Instead of getting angry, his father, Joe Jackson, asked Tito to show him what he had learned.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT SURPRISED HIM BECAUSE TITO COULD ACTUALLY PLAY. THAT MOMENT CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
Joe soon began paying closer attention to his children’s musical abilities. Rehearsals started filling the Jackson household, and before long, the Jackson brothers were performing together. The journey that eventually produced the Jackson 5 had begun.
Tito performing during the group’s early years here:
As the years passed, Michael became the face of the family and one of the most famous entertainers who ever lived. Yet the first spark came from Tito’s curiosity and love for music.
Tito never made headlines the way some of his brothers did. He focused on the music, stayed loyal to the group, and helped hold the family together through decades of success.
The classic performance by Jackson 5
HIS SACRIFICE LED MICHAEL TO EARN THE BIGGEST NAME IN POP HISTORY.
After Michael’s passing, Tito was the one who protected his legacy for decades, because he helped Michael become who he was.
Fans often talk about the night Michael first wowed an audience. Fewer people talk about the day Tito picked up a guitar and unknowingly started a chain reaction that would change music history.
Without that guitar, there may never have been a Jackson 5. And without the Jackson 5, the world might never have met Michael Jackson.