Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5 who, along with his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, became a teen heartthrob in the 1970s, has died.

He was 70.

Passing details on Tito Jackson

According to a statement released by a spokesperson for the family, Jackson died Sunday from a heart attack while driving to Oklahoma from New Mexico. Jackson had been recently living in Oklahoma, about 25 miles northeast of Tulsa, reports Tulsa World.

He told the publication that he ‘found the peace he was looking for’ in the small city of about 20,000 residents.

‘I always wanted to get away from the West Coast and experience living somewhere with new people and new culture,’ Jackson said.

The singer also revealed his family had some roots in nearby city of Tulsa, where his uncle Samuel Jackson ran an undertaking business in 1917.

Jackson said his uncle’s business was burned down during the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921, but they were able to rebuild the funeral home.

Tito Jackson’s music career

Toriano Adaryll Jackson was born on Oct. 15, 1953, in Gary to Joe and Katherine (Scruse) Jackson. Tito was the charming guitarist in the Jackson 5, a skill he said he picked up by watching his father. The elder Mr. Jackson died in 2018.

Tito was the second oldest, after Jackie, followed in age by Jermaine, Marlon and Michael.

The Jackson 5 was a household name in the 1970s, regularly appearing on television, sometimes next to Cher or Diana Ross. With more than a dozen albums with a line of hits that included “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”, their music was a soundtrack for a young generation.

Legacy

Tito is survived by his three sons Taj, 41, Taryll, 39, and TJ, 46 – who were in the band 3T – and nine grandchildren.

Tito’s sons shared a picture and an emotional tribute to their father, writing: ‘It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us.

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“We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being.

‘Some of you may know him as Tito Jackson from the legendary Jackson 5, some may know him as “Coach Tito” or some know him as “Poppa T.”

‘Nevertheless, he will be missed tremendously. It will forever be “Tito Time” for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is “Love One Another.” We love you Pops. Your boys, Taj, Taryll and TJ.’

Frankie Beverly, the Legendary R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, has passed away. He was 77.

Passing details for Frankie Beverly

His family shared the news on Instagram.

According to the post, Beverly, whose real name is Howard Stanley Beverly, died on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

“He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family and friends,” the post read.

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The statement did not reveal the circumstances of his death.

Music career

A Philadelphia native, Beverly got his start in music at a young age, performing as a soloist in church while growing up in the city’s East Germantown neighborhood. As a teen, he sang with an ensemble called “The Silhouettes” before forming his own doo-wop group, “The Blenders.”

He then formed the group “Raw Soul” with his Philly friends in 1970, which would eventually become known as “Frankie Beverly and Maze.” Beverly then moved to San Francisco where he worked with the legendary Marvin Gaye, according to Beverly’s website.

“The Motown master would take the group under his wing and it was Gaye who suggested the group change their name. Frankie Beverly and Maze was born,” the website read.

Beverly was the lead singer, songwriter, producer and founder of the band Frankie Beverly and Maze. The group is a staple in the Black community, famously known for the songs “Before I Let Go,” “Joy and Pain,” and “Happy Feelin’s”. It’s not a cookout, family reunion, a party, and for some, the electric slide, without a Frankie Beverly and Maze song. Beverly’s “Before I Let Go”, was covered by Beyoncé in 2019 in her live album “Homecoming.”

Before his passing, Beverly and his band just completed their “I Wanna Thank You Farewell Tour” earlier this summer.

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Legendary actor James Earl Jones has passed away.

Jones died at his home in Dutchess County, NY, according to a family rep.

He was 93.

James Earl Jones was a revered actor

Born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, MS, Jones was an acclaimed star of the stage and screen, widely known for his distinctive voice that enamored audiences. The actor amassed nearly 200 screen credits during his brilliant 60-year career, best known in film series Star Wars as the villain Darth Vader, Field of Dreams as Terence Mann, Coming To America as King Jaffe Joffer, and as well as many other films and Broadway shows. He also voiced The Lion King‘s Mufasa in both the 1994 animated film and 2019 hybrid remake.

Films

Among his dozens of other films are The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976), A Piece of the Action (1977), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Soul Man (1986), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Patriot Games (1992), Sneakers (1992), The Sandlot (1993), Clear and Present Danger (1994), Judge Dredd (1995), Gang Related (1997) and Coming 2 America (2021).

Television

Jones had many television guest roles on such classics as The Big Bang Theory, House, Two and a Half Men, Homicide: Life on the Street, Frasier, Touched by an Angel, Law & Order, Sesame Street, Highway to Heaven, NYPD Blue, Guiding Light, As the World Turns; and miniseries Roots: The Next Generation and Jesus of Nazareth.

Broadway

He also appeared in almost two dozen Broadway shows, from his first starring role Sunrise at Campobello (1958) and most recently in The Gin Game (2017). Along the way, he starred in productions of such stage classics as The Iceman Cometh (1974), Othello (1982), On Golden Pond (2005), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2008) and You Can’t Take It with You (2014).

Accolades

He is one of the few entertainers to have won the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), though his Academy Award was Honorary. Jones has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a spoken-word Grammy Award in 1977 and three Tony Awards.

Jones is also a 2002 Kennedy Center Honoree and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from SAG-AFTRA in 2009 and by the National Board of Review in 1995.