Jermaine Jackson

Early life

Jackson was born December 11, 1954 in Gary, Indiana, after his brother Tito Jackson. He is the fourth child born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, La Toya, Marlon, Michael, Randy, and Janet. His father Joseph had musical aspirations, playing guitar with his brother’s band, The Falcons, and Katherine was a passionate pianist and singer. But their large family and lack of money ended their dreams with Katherine becoming a housewife, and Joseph, a steel worker at nearby Inland Steel Company in East Chicago, Indiana (his parents lived there before they moved to Gary in 1950). While his father worked long hours as a crane operator, Jermaine and his brothers, Tito and Jackie, secretly practiced their own songs using their father's guitar. Jermaine became the original lead singer of the Jackson Brothers—an earlier incarnation of The Jackson Five—until 1966, when younger brother Michael began singing lead. Jermaine would continue to provide some leads over the years. Jermaine graduated from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California in 1973.

The Jackson 5

Jermaine and his brothers first signed as The Jackson Five with Gordon Keith of Steeltown Records in November 1967, and their first single Big Boy, was released on January 31, 1968. After the group recorded three more songs with the Steeltown label (on two records) they were signed with Berry Gordy of Motown Records in 1968 and 1969. As the co-lead singer of The Jackson 5 after his brother Michael, Jermaine sang notable parts of "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There", "The Love You Save","Dancing Machine", and many other Jackson 5 songs. Jermaine performed as part of the group for six years. Not feeling that they were being paid fair royalties by Motown Records for their success as well as their desire for creative control, the Jackson 5 decided to leave the label and sign with Epic Records in 1975. However, Jermaine decided to stay with Motown Records, citing loyalty to the company as the reason. Others argue that Jermaine's marriage to Motown founder Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel, whom he married in 1973, was the reason. Jermaine split from the Jackson 5 to start a solo career at Motown, and was replaced by his brother Randy Jackson. Unbeknownst to the group, Gordy had trademarked the name The Jackson Five and did not allow the group to continue using the name when they left the label. Once signed with Epic, the group became known as The Jacksons. Several years later, in 1983, Gordy asked the group to perform at the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. After the success of the broadcast, Jermaine rejoined the band to record the album Victory which featured all six brothers on The Jackson's album cover. Jermaine also participated in the band's Victory Tour. He stayed with the group for their final album, 2300 Jackson Street, in 1989. In 2001, he reunited with his brothers to perform for the 30th Anniversary Special.

Solo career

Like Michael, Jermaine began a solo career while still a member of The Jackson 5, and had a hit with the 1972 Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home". It sold over one million copies by March 1973, and was awarded a gold disc. When The Jackson 5 left Motown, Jermaine left the group and stayed at Motown. Jermaine was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1980 album Let's Get Serious. He had a number of Billboard Top 30 hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Daddy's Home" (#9), "That's How Love Goes", "Let's Be Young Tonight", "Bass Odyssey", "Feel the Fire", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" (featuring Devo on backing vocals) (#18), "Let's Get Serious" (#9, also one of his only two UK hits, peaking at #8), "Dynamite" (#15), "Do What You Do" (#13), and "I Think It's Love" (#16). A duet with his brother Michael, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)", hit No. 1 on the dance chart in 1984. He and Michael also collaborated with Rockwell, both providing guest vocals on his 1984 hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me". In 1985, his duet with Pia Zadora, "When the Rain Begins to Fall", topped several singles charts in Europe. His final chart success, 1989's "Don't Take It Personal", hit (#1) on the R&B singles chart. Some of Jermaine's finest moments as a singer can be heard in the soulful "Castle of Sand" and the Earth Wind & Fire-inspired "You Need To Be Loved". Jackson is proficient on the electric guitar and is a talented bass guitar player. At an early age, he performed the parts of legendary bass player James Jamerson and others when the J5 performed live. Jermaine also composed and produced for other artists, such as Switch, and he produced and sang duets on Whitney Houston's debut album for Arista Records.

Reality television

Jackson was the first housemate to enter the Celebrity Big Brother UK house in 2007. After leaving Big Brother, Jackson did several interviews on UK television explaining why and how he took his peaceful and mediating stance in the Big Brother house. He also spoke about the Jackson 5 reuniting for a performance. Jackson was part of the second season of the CMT reality show Gone Country. On the premiere episode of season three of the ABC reality show Celebrity Wife Swap on April 15, 2014, Jermaine Jackson and his wife Halima swapped places with Daniel Baldwin and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Isabella Hofmann. In the episode, Jackson refused to comply with Isabella's request that he put some of his clothing in storage. He also refused to provide a status report to the producers after the swap was completed.

Later works

In April 2007, Jackson returned to the UK to take part in a one-off special of ITV's Challenge Anneka. On the same trip, he appeared in Glasgow with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, speaking in support of Searchlight magazine's anti-racism campaign, the Daily Mirror "Hope Not Hate bus". On November 23, 2007, Jackson appeared on Katie & Peter: Unleashed and again talked of a reunion with his brothers on a tour the following year. In 2008, Jackson flew to Australia to be a guest judge and mentor for the top 5 Michael Jackson night on Australian Idol. In March 2008, Jackson was the guest of honor at the Muslim Writers Awards in Birmingham. Jackson attended the memorial service for his brother Michael on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He acted as a pallbearer, and performed the song "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin, which was believed to be his brother's favorite song, in tribute. In 2009, following the death of his brother Michael, Jermaine appeared on the A&E television series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, documenting what was supposed to be a 40th anniversary reunion between Jermaine and his brothers. The series lasted one season and Jermaine, along with his three surviving brothers, was listed as an executive producer. In October 2010, Jermaine played a concert at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas, naming it "40 Years of Jackson Music" and dedicating the concert to Michael. He wrote the memoir You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes.

In a 2012 interview with Luka Neskovic, for The Huffington Post, Jackson said that his brother planned a reunion with him: "... the plan was to do some shows with the brothers as well, after he finished his commitment with the "This Is It", and we probably gonna do some songs with him on the "This Is It" tour". In October 2012, Jackson released I Wish You Love, his first solo album in 21 years, consisting mostly of jazz covers. The album was arranged and produced by French opera singer David Serero, who recorded a duet on Autumn Leaves with Jermaine, and was released by David Serero Productions. They both performed You Are Not Alone, The Musical, written, directed and produced by Serero, in France in January 2013. The following year, You Are Not Alone, The Musical Live was released on video and audio.

In January 7, 2016, Jermaine along with his brothers performed at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas once again, at a concert event naming it "Heal the World: A Tribute to Michael Jackson". A big-name roster of music stars performed the music of the late King of Pop at the concert.

Personal life

Jackson has been married three times. His first marriage was to Motown founder Berry Gordy's daughter, Hazel Gordy from 1973 until 1988, with whom he has three children. Jackson was in a relationship with Margaret Maldonado from 1986 till 1993 that produced two sons. He had two children with Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza—his younger brother Randy 's girlfriend—and they later married; lasting from 1995 until 2003. In January 2004, Jackson met Halima Rashid, while in line at Starbucks. In March 2004, he proposed to her and five months later they got married in a mosque in Los Angeles Rashid was arrested on November 28, 2015 in Los Angeles for alleged domestic violence. She was booked for felony corporal injury on a spouse by the Los Angeles Police Department. The charges were later dropped when prosecutors could not determine who the aggressor was. Rashid filed a petition for divorce on June 21, 2016 citing irreconcilable differences. Jermaine supported his brother, Michael, during the 2005 child-abuse trial. He came to Michael's defense on CNN's Larry King Live and appeared with him in court on many occasions. On June 25, 2009, Jermaine held a press conference at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and broke the news of Michael Jackson's death to the media.

In popular culture

Discography