The Jackson 5 Biography

Singing group. A Motown quintet comprised of family members Jackie (b. May 4, 1951), Tito (b. October 15, 1953), Jermaine (b. on December 11, 1954), Marlon (b. on March 12, 1957), and Michael (b. August 29, 1958—d. June 25, 2009) Jackson from Gary, Indiana. The group drew inspiration from soul superstars including Marvin Gaye, Etta James and James Brown. Under direction from their father, Joe Jackson, The Jackson 5 dazzled audiences with hits like "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I Want You Back," becoming known for their flawless choreography and catchy "bubblegum soul."

The five eldest sons of Katherine, a devout Jehova's Witness and homemaker, and Joe, a crane operator, made up the Jackson 5. The Jacksons had nine children in total, and Joe, a part-time musician, instilled a love of music in them all. Although many of his children displayed talent, Joe soon discovered that his five oldest boys had great promise. In 1964, he began teaching them to perform arrangements of popular Motown selections. That year, The Jackson 5 made its auspicious debut at Mr. Lucky's, a local nightclub. In 1965, the brothers won a Gary-wide talent show, and the group was soon pursued by Steeltown Records, a regional label that recorded the band's first commercial effort. The fledgling success of the band's first single helped the brothers gain entry into prominent Chicago venues, and their increased exposure earned them work as an opening act for more established stars. But The Jackson 5 landed a chance at true fame at the legendary Apollo Theater. The crowd was blown away by the group's sophistication—especially young Michael's precocious charm—and the brothers caught the attention of luminaries including Gladys Night, Bobby Taylor and Diana Ross. Each of these stars reported their new discovery to executives at Motown Records.

In 1968, The Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown Records president Berry Gordy. Gordy was reluctant to sign the group, and since he was based out of Los Angeles, he invited the band to perform at Detroit's Hitsville U.S.A. studio. A Motown executive videotaped the show for Gordy's review, and upon seeing the recorded audition, Gordy quickly inked an open-ended contract and relocated the band to the Los Angeles area. While the family hashed out their Southern California housing arrangements, the band members stayed with Gordy and Diana Ross.

Gordy had an active hand in guiding the group's career, and worked with them closely to polish their image and onstage presence. He paired them with a production team known as "The Corporation"—comprised of Gordy, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards, and Alphonzo Mizell—which was charged with the task of penning hit songs for The Jackson Five's official Motown debut.

In December 1969, Motown released Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, and within a month the single "I Want You Back," hit the top spot on both the R&B and Pop charts. Over the course of the next two years, the group scored several more No. 1 hits—"ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There,"—as well as multiple television appearances and their own Saturday morning cartoon.