Tito Jackson, brother of the late Michael JacksonĀ and co-founder of the Jackson 5, has died. He was 70 years old.

His family made the stunning announcement Sunday.

ā€œItā€™s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us,ā€ Titoā€™s sons TJ, Taj and Taryll said in aĀ statementĀ on Instagram. ā€œWe are shocked, saddened and heartbroken.ā€

 

While an official cause of death has yet to be determined, Steve Manning, former Jackson family manager, toldĀ Entertainment Tonight, he believed the pop icon died of a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on Sunday.

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Tito, born Toriano Adaryll ā€œTitoā€ Jackson in October 1953 and the third of 10 children, was the least-heard member of the Jackson 5 as he was a backup singer and played guitar for the group, while his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael were more prominently featured.

During their time as the Jackson 5, the family produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s including ā€œABC,ā€ ā€œI Want You Back,ā€ and ā€œIā€™ll Be There.ā€ They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND ā€“ JUNE 11: Tito Jackson and Marlon Jackson of The Jacksons perform on stage during Day 2 of the Cambridge Club Festival at Childerley Orchard on June 11, 2022 in Cambridge, England. (Photo by C Brandon/Redferns)

Tito was last seen in Munich, Germany, on September 9, prior to a scheduled performance with his brothers Jackie and Marlon Jackson. The trio have two more performances left on their 2024 tour, however itā€™s unclear how The Jacksons will handle the upcoming shows.

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ā€œSome of you may know him as Tito Jackson from the legendary Jackson 5, some may know him as ā€˜Coach Titoā€™ or some know him as ā€˜Poppa T.ā€™ Nevertheless, he will be missed tremendously. It will forever be ā€˜Tito Timeā€™ for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is ā€˜Love One Another.ā€™ We love you Pops,ā€ his sons wrote on their own music groupā€™s Instagram page.

It is devastating to hear the news about Tito Jackson. May he rest in peace, and may his family find comfort in knowing that so many people are thinking of them during this extremely difficult time.