In Gary, Indiana in 1964, Tito Jackson broke a string on his father Joe’s guitar, and instead of punishing him Joe bought him a guitar and formed the Jackson Brothers with Tito, Jermaine and Jackie. Marlon joined on tambourine and five-year-old Michael started on congas before moving to the microphone. The family worked the chitlin circuit, strip clubs and talent shows, won at a high school in 1966, played the Apollo in August 1967, and sold about 10,000 copies of Big Boy on Steeltown Records. Gladys Knight sent Motown a demo that was passed over, but in July 1968 Bobby Taylor of the Vancouvers arranged an audition, and Berry Gordy, who had wanted no more kid acts after Stevie Wonder, signed them within days.
Motown claimed Diana Ross discovered them, billed Michael as eight when he was nearly 11, and assigned a team called the Corporation, whose first four singles, I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There, all hit No. 1. By 1975 the group had sold over 60 million records on a 2.8% royalty, and Joe negotiated a 20% rate at Epic. Motown sued and kept the Jackson 5 name, and Jermaine, married to Hazel Gordy, stayed behind as Randy stepped in. As the Jacksons they wrote their own songs on Destiny and Triumph before Michael’s solo rise and the 1984 Victory tour ended the run.
- A 1970 show at the Forum in Inglewood drew almost 19,000 fans and required police escorts.
- The episode places the group’s image against the late 1960s debate over the Moynihan Report.
- Randy suffered multiple leg fractures in a 1980 car crash in Hollywood.
- Victory’s single State of Shock paired Michael with Mick Jagger, and the album’s songs were largely recorded separately.
- Michael announced his exit from the stage at Dodger Stadium at the end of the Victory tour, and Marlon left a month later.
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