Jermaine Jackson

**Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun** (né **Jackson**; born December 11, 1954) is an American retired singer, songwriter, bass player, and member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the Jackson 5, and played bass guitar. In 1983, he rejoined the group, which had been renamed the Jacksons; he then consistently played in the group's performances and recordings until he left the group again in 2020.

While Jermaine did not usually sing the lead vocal on the Jackson Five's biggest hits, he is featured on "I'll Be There" and "I Want You Back", among others. When four of the brothers left Motown Records for Epic Records in 1976 (having to rename the family act "the Jacksons" in the process), Jermaine, who had just married Motown founder Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel, stayed at Motown. He was replaced in the Jacksons by his youngest brother, Randy. Jermaine had a solo career concurrent with his brother Michael's, including some top-30 hits, until the 1980s. He produced and recorded duets with Whitney Houston on her debut album in 1985, and was a producer for the band Switch. After seven years outside the group he rejoined the Jacksons, and remained until 2020 through various breakups and reunions.

## Early life
Jermaine was born December 11, 1954, at St Mary's Mercy Hospital in Gary, Indiana, He is the fourth child born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. Jackson's father Joe had musical aspirations, playing guitar with his brother Luther in an R&B band, the Falcons, and his mother Katherine, a devout Jehovah's Witness, was a passionate pianist and singer. Father Joe began rehearsing his sons under a strict regimen when he realized their potential, seeing his sons' talent as a way out of Gary. Jermaine would continue to provide some leads over the years.

## Career
### 1962–1975: The Jackson 5 
Jermaine and his brothers first signed as the Jackson 5 with Gordon Keith of Steeltown Records 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 of Motown Records in 1969. However, Jermaine decided to stay with Motown Records, citing loyalty to the company as the reason. Others argue that Jermaine's marriage to Motown founder Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel, whom he married in 1973, was a deciding factor. After the success of the broadcast, Jermaine finally rejoined the band to record the album *Victory* which featured all six brothers on the Jackson's album cover. He also performed this song alone, on January 14, 1990, in Atlanta, in tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., during King Week 90 '. In 1997, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Jackson 5. In 2001, he reunited with his brothers to perform for the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Special.

### 1976–1982: Solo career 
Like Michael, Jermaine began a solo career while still a member of the Jackson 5, and had a hit with the 1972 Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home". It sold over one million copies by March 1973, and was awarded a gold disc.

### 1983–1990: Return to The Jacksons 
When the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, Jermaine left the group and stayed at the label until 1983, when he finally rejoined his brothers for the *Motown 25* television special, and their album *Victory* the following year. His final chart success, 1989's "Don't Take It Personal", hit number one on the R&B singles chart. Jermaine was the executive producer of the Jackson Family Honors concert televised from the MGM Grand on February 22, 1994. On May 19, 2003, he performed "Let's Start Right Now" live on the talk show *The View*, hosted by Barbara Walters.

Jermaine is proficient on the electric guitar and is a talented bass guitar player. Jermaine also composed and produced for other artists, such as Switch and he produced and sang duets on Whitney Houston's debut album for Arista Records. Jermaine was part of the second season of the CMT reality show *Gone Country*. On the premiere episode of season three of the ABC reality show *Celebrity Wife Swap* on April 15, 2014, Jermaine and his wife Halima swapped places with Daniel Baldwin and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Isabella Hofmann.

### 2007–present: Later work 
In April 2007, Jackson returned to the UK to take part in a one-off special of ITV's *Challenge Anneka*. On the same trip, he appeared in Glasgow with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, speaking in support of *Searchlight* magazine's anti racism campaign, the *Daily Mirror* "Hope Not Hate Bus".

On November 23, 2007, Jackson appeared on *Katie & Peter: Unleashed* and again talked of a reunion with his brothers on a tour the following year. In 2008, Jackson flew to Australia to be a guest judge and mentor for the top-five Michael Jackson night on *Australian Idol*. In March 2008, Jackson was the guest of honor at the Muslim Writers Awards in Birmingham. In 2009, following his brother Michael's passing, Jermaine appeared on the A&E television series *The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty*, documenting what was supposed to be a 40th-anniversary reunion between Jermaine and his brothers. The series lasted one season and Jermaine, along with his three brothers, was listed as an executive producer. He wrote the memoir ''You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes* (2011).

In a 2012 interview with Luka Neskovic, for *The Huffington Post*, Jackson said that his brother planned a reunion with him: "... the plan was to do some shows with the brothers, as well, after he finished his commitment with the This Is It [concert], and we probably gonna do some songs with him on the This Is It tour". In October 2012, Jackson released *I Wish You Love*, his first solo album in 21 years, consisting mostly of jazz covers. The album was arranged and produced by French opera singer David Serero, who recorded a duet on "Autumn Leaves" with Jermaine, and was released by David Serero Productions. They both performed *You Are Not Alone: The Musical*, written, directed and produced by Serero, in France in January 2013. The following year, *You Are Not Alone: The Musical Live'' was released on video and audio.

## Personal life
Jackson has been married and divorced three times, and has seven children. The couple were married from 1973 to 1988. They had three children; Jermaine La Jaune "Jay" Jackson Jr. (born 1977), Autumn Joi Jackson (born 1978) and Jaimy Jermaine Jackson (born 1987). Jackson was in a relationship with Margaret Maldonado from 1986 until 1993. They had two sons, Jeremy Maldonado Jackson (born 1986) and Jourdynn Michael Jackson (born 1989). Rashid was arrested in 2015 in Los Angeles for alleged domestic violence. She filed a petition for divorce in 2016, citing irreconcilable differences.

Jermaine supported his brother, Michael, during his 2005 trial. He came to Michael's defense on CNN's *Larry King Live* and appeared with him in court on many occasions. Jermaine announced his brother's death on June 25, 2009, at a press conference at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Jermaine thanked the people that attended Michael Jackson's memorial at the Staples Center, on July 7, 2009. Jermaine and his brothers, Tito, Jackie, Marlon and Randy Jackson served as pallbearers wearing a gold necktie, a single white glove and sunglasses.

Jackson, like the rest of his family, was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. In 1989, he converted to Islam after a trip to Bahrain, in which he was impressed by the local children's devotion to their religion.

On December 27, 2023, a lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by a woman who alleged Jackson sexually assaulted her after forcing himself into her home in 1988. The woman, identified as Rita Barrett, also alleged Motown Records owner Berry Gordy assisted in covering up the abuse.

## Discography 
* *Jermaine* (1972)
* *Come into My Life* (1973)
* *My Name Is Jermaine* (1976)
* *Feel the Fire* (1977)
* *Frontiers* (1978)
* ''Let's Get Serious* (1980)
* *Jermaine* (1980)
* *I Like Your Style* (1981)
* *Let Me Tickle Your Fancy* (1982)
* *Dynamite* (1984)
* *Precious Moments* (1986)
* *Don't Take It Personal* (1989)
* *You Said* (1991)
* *I Wish You L.O.V.E* (2012)
* *You Are Not Alone: The Musical Live'' (2014)

## References
## Other websites 
*Jermaine Jackson French Page : Complete Motown-era discography
*VH1 Profile 
*Interview with Jackson regarding his conversion to Islam