-New Urban Youth In Memoriam- Joe Jackson, Creator of the Jackson 5 and Patriarch of the World Famous Jackson Family, Passes Away at Age 89
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| Architect and Patriarch of an American Musical Dynasty, Joseph Walter Jackson (1928-2018) |
Joe Jackson, the father of 11 children and early manager of the Jacksons, has died at age 89 today after a battle with cancer. Although we had been hearing stories of his rapidly declining condition over the last 72 hours, entertainment news outlet TMZ first reported his passing this afternoon central European time, and it has now been confirmed by family members, the Michael Jackson Estate, and the Associated Press.
The Jackson family patriarch had been battling terminal pancreatic cancer, reportedly since June of this year. The estate of Michael Jackson confirmed Joe Jackson’s death with an official statement: “We are deeply saddened by Mr. Jackson’s passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Katherine Jackson and the family,” co-executors of the estate John Branca and John McClain said in a statement. “We had developed a warm relationship with Joe in recent years and will miss him tremendously.”
Joseph Jackson was born in 1928 and married wife Katherine in 1949. Known as a stern taskmaster, Jackson launched the career of his children in Gary, Indiana in the 1960s with sons Michael, Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Tito, as the Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 signed with Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and in 1970, their first four singles ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There") all went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. They were the first act to see their first four singles top the Hot 100.
After a string of hits and worldwide success, The Jackson 5’s relationship with Motown had deteriorated by the mid-‘70s, and in 1975 Joe Jackson negotiated a lucrative Epic Records contract for the group as "The Jacksons"— minus Jermaine ( who remained at Motown as a solo artist and music executive), but with youngest brother Randy instead. Additionally, Michael was simultaneously signed to Epic (an imprint of music giant CBS Records) as a solo performer, and the two family acts toured together.
In 1982, Joe launched the musical career of his teen daughter Janet — a seasoned child TV actress — by financing a demo that secured a deal for her at A&M Records. He also managed his elder daughters Rebbie and La Toya's solo careers with Columbia and Polydor respectively in the ‘80s. The elder sisters had a few hit singles which amounted to minor success.
In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, The Jacksons, Michael, and Janet all enjoyed major success within the music industry but eventually rejected their father’s professional control. By the time Michael's 1982 album “Thriller” made him the world's biggest pop star, Joe’s influence and control over his career were rapidly waning. The Jacksons followed suit by severing business ties with their father in 1983, and Janet completely removed herself from her family’s musical influence, choosing instead to work with within the Minneapolis music scene, and releasing the album and single “Control” as a statement of both her personal and professional independence in 1986.
While Joseph Jackson has had a reportedly tenuous relationship with his adult children in previous years and holds the unenvious place in Jackson family lore as abusive villain and antagonist, Michael honored his father with an annual "Joseph Jackson Day" at Neverland Ranch[1]. Despite abuse allegations, Michael ultimately forgave his father- noting that Joseph's deep-South upbringing during the Great Depression and the Jim Crow years and working-class adulthood hardened him, fueling the push for his children to succeed. Several of Michael's siblings, including Jermaine, Marlon, and Janet (who admittedly did not retain close contact with her dad), have also credited their father's strictness for keeping them laser-focused, and on a straight and narrow path.
Several of Jackson's grandchildren expressed similar sentiments today via Twitter, writing, “RIP to the king that made everything possible! I love you grandpa” and “Joe was loved by the entire family and our hearts are in pain".
After years of being estranged and reuniting in later years of Joe's life, daughter LaToya also shared loving sentiments to the man she always knew as Joseph:
La Toya Jackson
I will always love you! You gave us strength, you made us one of the most famous families in the world. I am extremely appreciative of that, I will never forget our moments together and how you told me how much you cared. #RIP Joe Jackson
Joseph Walter Jackson is survived by 10 children and his wife Katherine, from whom he was legally separated at the time of his passing. In October 2002, Mr. Jackson was awarded a proclamation in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the Best Entertainment Manager of All Time.
