Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Oct. 5, 1989, edition 1 / Page 11
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Thursday. October 5. 1989 - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Page llA Jacksons Rose To Fame Slowly RVHnlFTTTAIlP'. ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER NEW YORK (AP) — Tracing the Jackson's history can be as sim ple as turning on the radio. There's two decades worth of mu sic; "I Want You Back" to "Dancing Machine" to "Lovely One" to the new "Nothin' (That Compares 2 U)." And don't forget a few addresses like 2300 Jackson Street In Gary, Ind., where the family grew up: 253 West 125th Street, the location of New York's Apol lo Theater: or 2648 West Grand Boulevard In Detroit, once the home of Motown Records. Five talented, ambitious kids Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael a demanding fa ther and the great Motown label heljjed lift the family from near poverty In the steel belt to swltii- mlng pools and luxury homes In California. They take nothing for granted, spending months In the studio to perfect their records and careful ly avoiding uncomfortable top ics In Interviews: legal battles, family squabbles, sister La- Toya's recent Playboy photos. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and younger brother Randy Jackson the group's current lineup _ are looking back now. They call "2300 Jackson Street," their first album since 1984's "Victory," a tribute to 25 years In show busi ness and the support of their parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson. The two oldest Jackson sons, Jackie and Tito, talked recently about the album and the family. 'We thought It would be nice to give some things to our mom and dad who worked hard In the ear lier days, made a lot of sacrifices to buy us Instruments and make costumes for us and take us to Chicago and St. Louis," Tito said. 'We always wanted to do this as youngsters, to be professional singers and entertainers, and we reached that goal," Jackie said. 'We try to tell youngsters you can reach that dream If you work hard." Divorces and sibling rivalries have taken their toll, firmly shaking the very roots of the family tree. Then there's Michael. For a time, he was the decade's hottest entertainer. Sales of his 'Thriller" album surpassed 30 million as youngsters all over the world emulated his trade marks of moonwalking and wearing one sequlned glove. But the other brothers didn't seem impressed, maintaining the Jacksons were all equal partners. A little luck, Jermaine once Insisted, and he would have been In Michael's shoes. Ihe 1984 "Victory" tour was a public relations disaster. Mi chael didn't want to do It, and openly distanced himself from the tour's promoter, boxing im presario Don King. Organization ■was shoddy and some fans re sented the $30 ticket price, ac cusing the group of shutting out the people who put them on top. Yet. the Jacteons are still to gether. "We're all united and standing strong, and still today we're one big family." That's what they sing on the title track of "2300 Jackson Street," written by the four brothers plus Gene Griffin and Aaron Hall. Siblings Michael, Janet, Marlon and Reb- ble make guest appearances, as do 16 nieces and nephews. "We were recording another song and Teddy (co-pr^ucer Ri ley) was sitting at the piano, playing his favorite Jackson songs," Tito said. "One of the songs was That's What You Get for Being Polite,' and we just started singing behind him, '2300 Jackson Street.' "All the kids were there. We had to bring balloons, and cookies and everything. There's some little bitty ones that were run ning all over the place, hitting the microphones." The original 2300 Jackson Street Is where Joe and Kathe rine Jackson raised nine chil dren: Maureen (Rebble), Sig mund Esco (Jackie), Toriano Adaryl (Tito), Jermaine, La- Toya, Marlon,' Michael, Randy and Janet. The boys slept In one bedroom, the girls In another. 'We sang from bunk beds," Jackie recalled. "Tito and Jer maine at the top, Michael and Marlon In the middle, and me and Randy at the bottom. We'd sing In harmony and just fall asleep." Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and, finally, Michael were soon singing together, pushed along by their strict father. Billed ear ly on as Ripples and Waves Plus Michael, they were renamed soon after a nelgborhood wom an heard them practice and called out, "Listen to the Jack- son Five." In 1967, the Jackson 5 ap peared on Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater In Harlem, the starting point for James Brown, Dinah Washington. EUa Fitzge rald, Jackie Wilson and many others. The Jacksons earned a standing ovation from one of the world's toughest audiences. "New York City was always ex citing to come to," Tito said. "In Gary, there were no tall build ings and the people seemed quite different. In New York, there were taxis and theaters and ex citement. In the Apollo, If they liked you, they let you know, and If they didn't, they let you know." Discovered by singer Gladys Knight, the Jackson 5 headed for the modest house on West Grand Boulevard. They auditioned for Motown, the most successful black-owned record company In history, the label of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, the Supremes. "We all come from the same classrooms," Tito said. 'We were taught by the Temptations, Ber- ly Gordy and (writing team) Hol- land-Dozier-Holland. I remem ber seeing Diana Ross and the Temptations on TV and think ing we were them. When our TV broke down, we'd just listen to the records." Gordy, the company's founder, quickly flew the young group to the West Coast and went to work on songs with a staff of writers called The Corporation. From the piano sweep that kicked off "I Want You Back" to the stunning ballad "I'll Be There," the Jackson 5 were sen sations, the hlppest kids on the block. Decked out In flared slacks and flashy shirts, they ruled playgrounds and dance floors. Gordy called their music "Soul Bubblegum." By 1971, they had four No. 1 singles, their own Saturday morning cartoon show and a cover on Life magazine. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 5, 1989, edition 1
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