About the author
Joseph Walter Jackson, born on July 26th, 1928, is an American Talent manager, Patriarch of the Jackson Family of entertainers which includes the world's biggest pop icons, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Latoya Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Rebbie Jackson and Rand Jackson.
Born to Samuel Jackson a school teacher and Crystal Lee King in Fountain Hill, Arkansas, he was the eldest of five Children. Jackson's paternal grandfather was Israel Nero Jackson (a slave) was the son of Jack July Jackson, an indigenous Choctaw of the Plantation of Gale. He is thus of both African and distant Native American Ancestry.
His life story is one of rags to riches. His early childhood was one with a domineering, strict father with very few friends. His parents separated at the tender age of twelve, and he moved with his father to Oakland, California. At 18, with his father remarrying, he moved back to live with his mother in East Chicago.
Early attempts at becoming a boxer found success with the Golden Gloves program. However his progress to a professional boxing career were derailed when he met is future wife Katherine Scruse. They were married on the 5th of November 1949 and began a family. To support his growing family, he left the hopes of becoming a professional boxer and took up employment at Inland Steel, working as a full time crane operator. He further took on part time jobs at the American Foundries in East Chicago.
During the early 1950's, he tried again to pursue other dreams. He briefly performed with his own blues band "The Falcons", playing guitar. Despite their efforts the Falcons did not get a recording deal and subsequently broke up.
Jackson began working with his sons' musical group in the early 1960s, first working with his three eldest sons, Jackie, Tito and Jermaine. Younger sons Marlon and Michael eventually joined the band.
Jackson began enforcing long and intense rehearsals for his sons. At first, the group went under The Jackson Brothers. Following the inclusions of Marlon and Michael in the group and Michael's increased vocal presence within the group, their name was changed to The Jackson Five. After a couple years performing in talent contests and high school functions, Joseph booked them in more and more respectable venues until they landed a spot at the renowned Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.
On November 21, 1967, The Jackson Five were signed by Jackson to their first professional contract with Steeltown Records in Gary, Indiana. The group's first single Big Boy, with Michael as the lead singer, was released by Keith on January 31, 1968 on the Steeltown label.
Within the year, Jackson helped to land his sons an audition for Motown Records in Detroit. The Jackson Five were signed with Motown in March 1969. Jackson later relocated his family to California and supervised every recording session the group made for Motown.The group began to receive nationwide fame after their first single for Motown, I Want You Back, hit #1, was released on October 7, 1969, followed by their first album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 in December 1969.
After the Jackson 5's first four singles, I Want You Back (The Jackson 5, 1969), ABC (The Jackson 5, 1970), The Love You Save (The Jackson 5, 1970), and I'll Be There (The Jackson 5, 1970) sold 10 million copies in 10 months, setting a world record for sales, it became clear to Jackson that his dream to make his sons the first African-American teenagers to become internationally known recording stars had come true.
He later focused on his daughter Janet, financing and recording her first demo, arranging a contract with A&M Records and oversaw her debut album.
At Ninety years of ago today, after over 60 years in show business, he looks back on it all through "Precious Moments". A picture book to rekindle sweet memories.