Marlon David Jackson (born March 12, 1957) is an American entertainer, singer and dancer best known as a member of

the Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...

. He is the sixth child of the

Jackson family The Jackson family is an American family of musicians and entertainers from Gary, Indiana. Many of the children of Joseph Walter (or Joe) and Katherine Esther Jackson were successful musicians, notably the brothers that formed the Motown boy ...

. Marlon now runs Study Peace Foundation to promote peace and unity worldwide.

Early life

Marlon David Jackson was born on March 12, 1957, at St Mary's Mercy Hospital in

Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along the sou ...

, the sixth child of

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

who was a steel mill worker, and played in an R&B band, the Falcons, with his brother Luther, and

Katherine Jackson Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse, born Kattie B. Screws; May 4, 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson family of entertainers that includes her children Michael and Janet Jackson. Early life Jackson was born as Kattie B. Scruse on May 4, ...

, a Jehovah's Witness. He was born seventeen and a half months before his younger brother

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...

(born August 29, 1958). Growing up, Marlon was especially close to Michael, whom he considered the substitute for his lost twin brother, Brandon, who died shortly after birth. Marlon and Michael were a fun team. “We were the jokers of the family," Marlon said. They would often get in trouble, but they stuck together. By 1964, Marlon and Michael joined their brothers

Tito Tito may refer to: People Mononyms * Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980), commonly known mononymously as Tito, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman * Roberto Arias (1918–1989), aka Tito, Panamanian international lawyer, diplomat, and journ ...

, Jackie and

Jermaine Jermaine ( ) is a masculine given name of Latin language, Latin origin, derived from the French given name , which is in turn derived from the Latin given name , meaning "brother". The masculine given name Jermaine was popularized in the 1970s b ...

, forming the group

. Mother, Katherine played the piano and clarinet, and sang harmonies with the brothers. Father, Joe led the rehearsals, keeping them off the street and away from trouble. They won singing competitions all over the state including New York. That marked the beginning of their career. Because of their name the Jackson 5, Randy Jackson the youngest Jackson brother didn't make the cut. He was later included in the TV program “The Jacksons” in 1976 as well as some performances. Marlon was known as “the dancingest Jackson”, cause of his flamboyant dance moves, a name he himself came up with. Marlon was not the most prominent member of the Jackson 5. He did sing lead vocals on many of their hits. Marlon also played the conga and tambourine. Marlon has three sisters; Rebbie, La Toya and

Janet Janet may refer to: Names * Janet (given name) * Janet (French singer) (1939–2011) Surname * Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table * Jules Janet (1861–1945), French psych ...

Career

The Jackson 5

Marlon and his brothers first signed as

with Gordon Keith of

Steeltown Records Steeltown Records was an American record company in Gary, Indiana. The company was founded in 1966 by William Adams (a.k.a. Gordon Keith) and co-owned with Ben Brown (deceased), Maurice Rogers, Willie Spencer (deceased), and Lou "Ludie" D. Was ...

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 Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...

of Motown Records in 1969. 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 Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

in 1975. Jermaine split from the Jackson Five 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 simply as The Jacksons. In 1983, Gordy asked the group to perform at the '' Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' television special. In 1997 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with his brothers. In 2001, he reunited with his brothers to perform for the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Special.

Solo career

Like Michael and Jermaine, Marlon began a solo career, releasing the album ''

Baby Tonight ''Baby Tonight'' is the debut solo album by Marlon Jackson, released on July 13, 1987 by Capitol Records. It peaked at No. 22 on the Top R&B Albums chart in the United States. It was supported by the singles " Baby Tonight" and " Don't Go". As o ...

'' In 1987. Despite ''Baby Tonight'' reaching No. 22 on the

Top R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated Ja ...

chart in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, Marlon has not released another album since then.

Later work

Marlon was successful within real estate in Southern California. In 1999, Marlon started running the Major Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) along with Florida attorney Willie E. Gary, baseball player

Cecil Fielder Cecil Grant Fielder (; born September 21, 1963) is an American former professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). Fielder was a power hitter in the 1980s and 1990s. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV ...

, boxer Evander Holyfield, and

Alvin James Alvin James is a retired Jamaican-American soccer midfielder who played professionally in the American Professional Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League. He coaches youth soccer in South Florida. Youth Born in Jamaica, James mo ...

. MBC was a religious network based in Atlanta. In October 1, 2004, they rebranded as

Black Family Channel Black Family Channel (launched in 1999 as MBC Network) was an American cable television network which featured programming aimed at African-American audiences. The network's schedule included a variety of programs including religious programs, spo ...

. In May 2007, the Black Family Channel was sold to the Gospel Music Channel, now known as

Up TV UP TV (stylized as UPtv; formerly GMC TV and originally Gospel Music Channel) is an American basic cable television network that was founded to have a focus on gospel music. It has expanded into family-friendly original movies, series, and special ...

. In 2008, Marlon and a board of new partners founded the Motherland Group, LLC bringing recognition to Badagry, Nigeria. Marlon now runs Study Peace Foundation, founded in 2015, aimed to promote peace and unity in communities worldwide offering programs designed to engage children, adults and the elderly to live in peaceful environments. “As a community we all should know that promoting peace and unity would cause a chain reaction that children will observe. It all starts with what we make accessible to the children,” he said. The foundation went into a partnership with

KaBOOM! (non-profit organization) KABOOM! is an American non-profit organization that helps communities build playgrounds for children. History Darell Hammond and Dawn Hutchison founded the company KABOOM! in 1996. They were inspired to start KaBOOM! after reading a story in ''Th ...

to build playgrounds in New Orleans, Gary and Los Angeles.

Personal life

Family

In August 1975, 18-year-old Jackson married his girlfriend, Carol Ann Parker, whom he met in New Orleans during one of the Jacksons' tours. Marlon and Parker have three children: * Valencia Caroline Jackson (born December 18, 1976) * Brittany Shauntee Jackson (born September 4, 1978) * Marlon David Jackson, Jr. (born September 23, 1981) Marlon and Carol have six grandchildren, two from Valencia and four from Brittany.

Michael's memorial

On July 7, 2009, at The Staples Center (now renamed

Crypto.com Arena Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it w ...

), Marlon and his family offered their final eulogies for Michael, saying he was the "soul" of the family, addressing the crowd: "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone"Maria Puente, "At Jackson Memorial, Tears, Cheers and 'I Love You,

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

,'" ''USA Today'', July 8, 2009. and "I would like for you to give our brother, my twin brother, Brandon, a hug for me." Marlon said, "I love you, Michael, and I'll miss you.". In honor of Michael, Marlon and his brothers,

, Jackie,

and Randy Jackson served as pallbearers wearing a gold necktie, a single white glove and sunglasses. In a 2019

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

interview, Marlon was vocal about the allegations against his brother Michael saying, “if your brother was deceased and someone wanted to slander his name, you’d be supporting him. That’s not him. That’s not his character. We definitely know our brother, and there are no facts whatsoever to corroborate these allegations." He continues, "It’s a quick money grab. That’s all it is."

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Other contributions

*1980: ''

La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons'', ...

'' –

*1981: ''

My Special Love ''My Special Love'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter La Toya Jackson. Released in 1981, the album peaked at #175 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. After the album's limited success, it fell into obscurity, receiving ...

'' –

*1983: ''Wright Back at You'' – Betty Wright *1983: ''Respect'' –

Billy Griffin William L. Griffin (born August 15, 1950) is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known for replacing Smokey Robinson as lead singer of The Miracles in 1972. Biography Griffin was born and raised in West Baltimore, Maryland. He attende ...

*1984: ''

Heart Don't Lie ''Heart Don't Lie'' is the third album released by American singer-songwriter La Toya Jackson. Released in 1984 by Epic Records, this album is her most critically acclaimed and commercially successful album to date, peaking at #149 on the Billboa ...

'' –

*1984: ''

Dream Street Dream Street were an American pop music, pop boy band that was formed in 1999 by Louis Baldonieri and Brian Lukow. The band disbanded in 2002 following a legal dispute between parents of the band members and the band's managers. History The ...

'' –

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

*1985: "

We Are the World "We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album '' We Are the World''. Wi ...

" –

USA for Africa United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa) was the name under which 47 predominantly U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily locat ...

*1986: ''

The Golden Child ''The Golden Child'' is a 1986 American dark fantasy martial arts action comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. The film stars Eddie Murphy as Chandler Jarrell, a Los Angeles social worker who is informed that he is " The Chosen One", and is ...

'' Soundtrack. *1989: '' 2300 Jackson Street'' –

The Jacksons The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...

featuring

Rebbie Jackson Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Jackson-Brown (; born May 29, 1950) is an American singer, actress, and the eldest child of the Jackson family of musicians. She first performed on stage with her siblings during shows in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the MGM ...

and Marlon Jackson. *2011: AI Feat. The Jacksons (Jackie Jackson/Tito Jackson/Marlon Jackson) - Letter in the Sky *2021: Tito Jackson Feat. Marlon Jackson/Stevie Wonder/Kenny Neal and Bobby Rush - Love One Another

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Marlon 1957 births 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers African-American male dancers African-American male singers African-American record producers African-American songwriters American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent American funk singers American male dancers American male pop singers American male singers American multi-instrumentalists American rhythm and blues musicians American rhythm and blues singers American soul singers Child pop musicians Identical twins

Marlon Jackson Marlon David Jackson (born March 12, 1957) is an American entertainer, singer and dancer best known as a member of the Jackson 5. He is the sixth child of the Jackson family. Marlon now runs Study Peace Foundation to promote peace and unity wor ...

Living people Musicians from Gary, Indiana Record producers from Indiana Singers from Indiana Songwriters from Indiana The Jackson 5 members American twins