Michael Jackson's Parents
Michael Jackson’s Parents (Photo Credit: Prime Video/Wikipedia)

Michael Jackson remains one of the most influential and well-known musical artists of all time. He nearly sold 500 million records as a solo artist. Behind his extraordinary journey were two equally fascinating figures—his parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson. Their influence not only shaped his career but also played a key role in building the legacy of the entire Jackson family.

Joe Jackson: The Strict Patriarch Behind The Jackson Family’s Rise

Joseph ‘Joe’ Jackson was a talent manager and the patriarch of the Jackson family. According to People, he had 10 children with his wife, Katherine Jackson: Maureen, Jackie, Tito, Brandon, Michael, Marlon, La Toya, Jermaine, Janet, and Randy. He also had a daughter, Joh’Vonnie, with a woman named Cheryl Terrell.

Joe was born on July 26, 1928, in Fountain Hill, Arkansas, to high school teacher Samuel Jackson and a housewife mother, Crystal Lee King, as per Biography. He tried his hand at boxing. According to The Guardian, he even tried to become a blues musician with the band The Falcon. However, Joe got little to no success in this venture. Joe even briefly worked as a crane operator. In the early 1960s, Joe started pushing his sons to become artists, and the Jackson 5 was formed.

He finally tasted success as a talent manager and promoter of Jackson 5. As per Billboard, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named him the Best Entertainment Manager of All Time in 2002. However, his children began publicly speaking about the abuse they faced from Joe, as per People. Joe had a strained relationship with Michael as well. The Jackson family patriarch passed away on June 27, 2018, in Las Vegas, as per BBC.

Katherine Jackson: The Quiet Strength Holding The Family Together

According to People Magazine, Katherine Jackson was born as Katherine Scruse on May 4, 1930. Her parents were Martha and Prince Albert. Katherine walked with a limp in her leg after contracting polio at a young age. She went to Washington High School. Katherine met Joe at a Chicago party in 1949. The latter had annulled his previous marriage before marrying Katherine, according to The New York Times.

As per CNN, Katherine spoke about Joe: “I just had a feeling that he was going to be my husband. The first time I saw him, I fell in love with him.”

 

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Post-marriage, the couple settled in Gary, Indiana, on Jackson Street. People magazine has reported that the duo stayed there till Joe’s death. Katherine co-wrote a book called My Family, the Jacksons, which was released in 1990, as per Goodreads. She wrote her second book, titled Never Can Say Goodbye: The Katherine Jackson Story.

In March 2024, her grandson Bigi went to court to ask Michael’s estate not to fund her legal fight against the executors. Reportedly, the judge eventually ruled that the deal about Michael’s work for Sony could proceed.

Overall, the parents of Michael Jackson lived interesting individual lives.

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Must Read: Michael Jackson Net Worth: Inside The King of Pop’s Fortune, Debt & Financial Legacy

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