As per the New York Times:
Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5 who, along with his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, became a teen heartthrob in the 1970s with a string of hits that included “ABC” and “I’ll Be There,” died on Sunday. He was 70.
A spokesman for his youngest sister, the singer Janet Jackson, said in a statement on Monday that Mr. Jackson died of a heart attack while driving to Oklahoma from New Mexico. The statement did not say where he died. Mr. Jackson told The Tulsa World in June that he had recently moved to a ranch in Claremore, Okla., about 25 miles northeast of Tulsa.
The Jackson 5, one of the most popular musical acts of their era, were responsible for launching the solo career of Michael Jackson, who earned the title “King of Pop” and became one of the most emulated musicians of all time. Michael Jackson died in 2009 at 50.
Toriano Adaryll Jackson was born on Oct. 15, 1953, in Gary to Joe and Katherine (Scruse) Jackson. Tito is largely remembered for being the guitarist in the group, a skill he picked up by watching his father. The elder Mr. Jackson died in 2018.
“One day I broke the string and I didn’t know what to do about it,” he said. “He came home and saw the string broke and was really upset about it.”
After punishing him, Mr. Jackson said, his father asked him to demonstrate what he knew. His father then gave him the guitar with the instructions to learn every song on the radio.
Tito was the second oldest, after Jackie, followed in age by Jermaine, Marlon and Michael.
