Steven Randall "Randy" Jackson (born October 29, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and dancer. Randy is best known as a former member of his family band
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 ...
. Randy is the youngest Jackson brother and the second-youngest Jackson sibling before his sister
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 ...
. He is the ninth child in the Jackson family.
Early life
![Jacksonstvshow](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Jacksonstvshow.jpg)
Randy was born 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 ...
to
Joseph Jackson 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, ...
. Nicknamed "Little Randy", Jackson is the ninth 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 b ...
and youngest of the brothers.
Jackson was only two years old when
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 ...
was formed and thus not an original member. While Randy's brothers toured, Jackson honed his skills as a musician, mastering piano and the bongos.
Career
The Jacksons
Randy was not an original 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 ...
, first appearing live with his brothers in 1971
at a Christmas show the Jackson 5 held for blind children. Although he was on every Jackson 5 tour since 1972, mainly playing the congas among other instruments, Randy did not officially join the family band until 1975 when they left
Motown
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
for
CBS Records CBS Records may refer to:
* CBS Records or CBS/Sony, former name of Sony Music, a global record company
* CBS Records International, label for Columbia Records recordings released outside North America from 1962 to 1990
* CBS Records (2006), founde ...
and older brother
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 ...
chose to stay with Motown, prompting Randy to replace him.
The Jackson 5 officially changed their name to
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 ...
when they signed with Epic in part because Motown owned the name "Jackson 5".
At age 16, he co-wrote the Jacksons' most successful single on Epic, "
Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)
"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" is a song recorded by The Jacksons for their 1978 album ''Destiny'', and released as a single the same year. It peaked at No. 7 in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in May 1979.
Background
The most successful of t ...
" with
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 ...
.
On March 3, 1980, Jackson was seriously injured in a car crash in Hollywood, California. In June 1980, he appeared on the cover of the weekly African-American
newsmagazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories, in greater depth than do newspapers or new ...
''
Jet''. The cover headline read: "Randy Jackson Walks Again: Talks About His Future."
Jackson plays congas, percussion, keyboards, piano, bass, and guitar, among other instruments. In addition to singing and playing on the Jacksons' recordings, he worked with Michael on his album ''
Off the Wall''. He participated in the Jacksons'
Destiny World Tour
The Destiny World Tour was the third concert tour by the Jacksons to promote the group's ''Destiny'' album. The tour began on January 22, 1979, with their opening concert in Bremen, West Germany. They visited 3 continents and 14 countries, playin ...
from 1979 to 1980, the
Triumph Tour
The Triumph Tour was a concert tour by The Jacksons, covering the United States and Canada from July 8 to September 26, 1981. The tour grossed a total of $5.5 million, setting a record breaking four sold out concerts in Inglewood, California, jus ...
in 1981,
Victory Tour in 1984, and the band's later projects. After the Victory Tour, Jackson worked with
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recordi ...
on his album ''
Dancing On The Ceiling
''Dancing on the Ceiling'' is the third solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on July 15, 1986. The album was originally to be titled ''Say You, Say Me'', after the Academy Award-winning track of the same name, but it wa ...
'' in 1985. Jackson, along with brothers
Jackie,
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 ...
,
Marlon, and his sister
La Toya joined
USA For Africa
United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa) was the name under which 47 predominantly U.S. artists, led by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a U.S. and UK number one for ...
to sing in "
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''. Wit ...
", which was led by Jackson’s 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 ...
, Lionel Richie,
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
, and
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...
.
He was left out when 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 ...
were inducted to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in 1997; only the five original members were inducted.
He was part of the Jacksons' 2001 reunion at Madison Square Garden, but did not appear as an official cast member in their 2009 A&E reality series ''
The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty''. He did contribute backing vocals with Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Jermaine for Michael's "
This Is It".
After the Jacksons
After recording ''
2300 Jackson Street'', the group disbanded and focused on separate projects in 1990.
After this split, Jackson formed his own band, Randy & the Gypsys.
The group released only one album before breaking up. The same year, he co-founded Total Multimedia Inc. with former
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal music. ...
bass player
Philip Taylor Kramer
Philip Taylor Kramer (July 12, 1952 – ) was an American bass guitar player for the rock group Iron Butterfly and associated groups between 1974 and 1980. He later became a computer engineering executive and inventor. He disappeared in Feb ...
to develop data compression techniques for CD-ROMs. On June 28, 1998, Jackson opened up his own record label, Modern Records.
Rhythm Nation Records
Randy is currently a co-partner with his sister, Janet Jackson, at her independent record label Rhythm Nation Records. On August 16, 2018, Randy and Janet announced that Rhythm Nation Records was partnering with independent music publisher, distributor and label Cinq Music. On August 17, 2018, Janet Jackson's "
Made for Now" was released, co-written by Randy.
Personal life
Family
In the 1980s, Jackson dated Bernadette Swann (née Robi),
Lynn Swann
Lynn Curtis Swann (born March 7, 1952) is an American former football player, broadcaster, politician, and athletic director, best known for his association with the University of Southern California and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He served on the ...
's ex-wife. Swann alleged that Jackson was physically abusive, so she sought refuge at the home of her friend
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...
(Swann previously dated Turner's son).
Turner shot at Jackson after he broke into her home to see Swann. Turner decided not to press charges in order to avoid bad press.
In 1986, Jackson met Alejandra Oaziaza. They dated for several years, and have two children together:
* Genevieve Jackson (born December 3, 1989).
* Steven Randall Jackson Jr. (born October 3, 1992).
Oaziaza married and divorced Randy Jackson's brother
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine La Jaune Jackson (born December 11, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and bassist. He is best known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of The Jackson ...
.
Randy Jackson married Eliza Shaffy in August 1989; they divorced in 1992. They have a daughter together, Stevanna Jackson (born June 17, 1990).
Michael Jacksons's memorial
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 ...
's memorial service was held at the Staples Center, now known as
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 ...
on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. To honor him, Randy and his brothers
Marlon,
Jackie,
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 ...
and
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 ...
served as pallbearers wearing a single spangly white glove and sunglasses.
Legal issues
Battery charge
In January 1991, Jackson was charged with
battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
for beating his wife Eliza Shaffy and their 7-month-old daughter Stevanna. He pleaded
no contest
' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense.
In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...
to the charge,
was placed on two years' probation and ordered to enroll in a
domestic violence
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
program, but didn't comply.
In November 1991, Jackson was arrested after Shaffy phoned the police to report that the beatings did not stop. He was sentenced to 30 days in a mental hospital, Pine Grove Hospital, in
Canoga Park
Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and t ...
and ordered to serve the remainder of his probation and enroll in a year-long domestic violence rehabilitation program. Disappointed that Jackson received no jail time, Shaffy filed for divorce.
Bankruptcy
Jackson filed for bankruptcy in 1996. He was ordered to surrender his shares in Modern Records Inc. In May 1998, an arrest warrant was issued when Jackson failed to turn over the stock. In 2001, he pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud by failing to list all his vehicular assets.
Child support
In January 2012, Jackson filed a complaint against Oaziaza, disputing an alleged $500,000 owed in child support.
He claimed he had never been served for the initial paternity lawsuit, instead claiming that the matter had been settled in 1993.
His absence at the paternity proceedings resulted in a default judgment in Oaziaza's favor.
Disputed will and child custody
Randy attempted to unseat executors John Branca and John McClain and dismiss the will of his brother Michael, which reportedly made their mother Katherine furious.
He, Jermaine and Janet objected to the 2011 tribute concert held for Michael, stating that they felt the family's attention should have been focused on
Conrad Murray
Conrad Robert Murray (born February 19, 1953) is a Grenadian former cardiologist who was the personal physician of Michael Jackson at the time of his death in 2009. Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for improperly administeri ...
's trial.
The three siblings were later involved in an event where Katherine lost custody of Michael's children due to suspicion that she was "prevented from acting as a guardian because of the acts of third parties".
Randy, Jermaine, and Janet attempted to take the children with them to Arizona, where it was alleged that Katherine was being held against her will after being kidnapped.
Footage of the event appeared to show the siblings storming the house and Janet trying to take Paris's phone.
Sheriff's deputies broke up an altercation between Randy, Jermaine and Trent (Katherine's nephew-in-law and paternal cousin of Randy and Jermaine).
Eventually Katherine regained custody of Prince, Paris, and Bigi ("Blanket").
Discography
Singles
with Randy and the Gypsys
Studio albums
Singles
Promotional singles
References
External links
Jackson Source: Randy Jackson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Randy
1961 births
Living people
20th-century American drummers
20th-century American guitarists
20th-century American keyboardists
20th-century American singers
21st-century American drummers
21st-century American guitarists
21st-century American keyboardists
21st-century American singers
African-American male guitarists
African-American male singers
African-American male singer-songwriters
African-American pianists
American funk bass guitarists
American funk guitarists
American funk keyboardists
American male bass guitarists
American male drummers
American male guitarists
American male pianists
American male pop singers
American male singer-songwriters
American multi-instrumentalists
American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent
American percussionists
American rhythm and blues bass guitarists
American rhythm and blues guitarists
American rhythm and blues keyboardists
American rhythm and blues musicians
American rhythm and blues singers
Child pop musicians
Conga players
Epic Records artists
Guitarists from Indiana
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013.
Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...
Male bass guitarists
Musicians from Gary, Indiana
People convicted of battery
Singer-songwriters from Indiana
The Jackson 5 members