The Jacksons : iSOUND.COM™

Biography

In 1976, the Jackson 5 ended a long battle for creative control and rights to their music with Motown Records. In the, process they lost their name and one of their best loved members. The Jacksons are the group comprised of Michael (vocals), Marlon (vocals), Jackie (vocals), Tito (vocals, guitar), Randy (vocal, percussion), and later, in 1984, Jermaine Jackson (vocal, bass guitar). The brothers were all born in Gary, Indiana. In 1969, due to the fame of the Jackson 5, the entire Jackson family moved to California. The members of the Jackson 5 were Michael, Marlon, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine. The Jackson 5 was a best selling, record breaking group, but by the mid-70\\\'s, they wanted to write and produce their own music. In 1976 the group signed with the CBS label Epic. Jermaine, who was married to Motown founder Berry Gordy\\\'s daughter, Hazel, remained at Motown and embarked upon a solo career. After a long court battle with Motown, the brothers lost their Jackson 5 monacre. They changed their name to The Jacksons and added their youngest brother Randy to the group. They then teamed up with Philadelphia producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The duo produced their first two Epic albums and the brothers wrote two songs on each album. Their self titled debut included the hits \\\"Enjoy Yourself\\\" and \\\"Show You The Way To Go\\\", both produced by Gamble & Huff. The album was a moderate success. Their second album, \\\"Goin\\\' Places\\\", released in 1977, wasn\\\'t very successful. Finally, in 1978, the brothers released their self-produced and hit album \\\"Destiny\\\". This album featured \\\"Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)\\\" and \\\"Blame It On The Boogie.\\\" During the same year Michael joined producer Quincy Jones and recorded his first solo album, \\\"Off The Wall\\\". The album sold over 10 million copies and had 4 hit singles. Michael reuinited with his brothers in 1980 and released another self-written, self-produced album entitled \\\"Triumph\\\". The album featured the hits \\\"Can You Feel It\\\", \\\"Lovely One\\\", and \\\"This Place Hotel\\\". The Jacksons set out on a major tour in 1980 which featured hits from the Jackson 5 era, \\\"Destiny\\\", \\\"Off The Wall\\\", and \\\"Triumph\\\". The tour received great reviews and the group released \\\"The Jacksons Live\\\" in 1981. Michael Jackson returned to the studio with Quincy Jones and recorded the greatest selling album of all time, \\\"Thriller\\\". The album has sold over 50 million copies to date, has won 8 Grammy awards, and spawned 6 hit singles including the classics \\\"Beat It\\\" and \\\"Billie Jean\\\". In 1984, brother Jermaine reunited with the group for the critically acclaimed \\\"Victory\\\" album and tour. The tour produced some of the greatest attendance records for the venues it played. In Los Angeles\\\' Dodger Stadium, during the last show of the tour, Michael announced that the performance would be his last with the Jacksons. He went on to release the record breaking albums \\\"Bad\\\", \\\"Dangerous\\\", and \\\"HIStory\\\". In 1989, the Jacksons, consisting of Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Randy released \\\"2300 Jackson Street\\\". In 2001, during a 30th musical anniversary honoring Michael Jackson, all six brothers reunited for a medley of their hits.