Jermaine Jackson

Jermaine La Jaune Jackson (born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, bassist, composer, former member of The Jackson 5 and older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

Biography

Jermaine Jackson is the fourth child of Joseph and Katherine Jackson, born in Gary, Indiana after his brother Tito Jackson. He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother. Jermaine converted to Islam in 1989 after a trip to the Middle East and has been staunch supporter of peace in the region. Jermaine was the original lead singer of the Jackson Brothers?an earlier incarnation of The Jackson Five?until 1968, when younger brother Michael began assisting with lead vocals. He remained the co-lead singer with Michael for many years. Jackson graduated from Birmingham High School in Lake Balboa, Los Angeles, California in 1973, where he was described in the yearbook as the "most talented" and "best dressed."

Jackson and his brothers signed with Motown Records in 1968. As the co-lead singer of The Jackson 5 after his brother Michael, Jackson sang notable parts of "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There", "I Am Love", "Dancing Machine" and many other Jackson 5 songs. In 1975, after six years performing with his brothers, Jermaine split from the Jackson 5 to continue his solo career at Motown Records while the other Jackson brothers left to sign with Epic Records. During the Jackson 5's last years in Motown, Jackson didn't partake in lead vocals at all on songs such as "Hum Along and Dance", and only had a small co-lead part in the group's 1974 hit "Dancing Machine".

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". When The Jackson 5 left Motown, Jermaine left the group and stayed at Motown, as he was married to Hazel Gordy, the daughter of Motown founder Berry Gordy.

Jermaine was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1980 album Let's Get Serious. He had numerous Hot 100 Top 30 hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Daddy's Home" (#9), "That's How Love Goes", "Let's Be Young Tonight", "Bass Odyssey", "Feel the Fire", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" (featuring Devo on backing vocals) (#18), "Let's Get Serious" (#9, also one of his only two UK hits, peaking at #8), "Dynamite" (#15), "Do What You Do" (#13), and "I Think It's Love" (#16). A duet with his brother Michael, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)", hit #1 on the dance chart in 1984. He and Michael also collaborated with Rockwell, both providing guest vocals on his 1984 hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me". In 1985, his duet with Pia Zadora, When the Rain Begins to Fall, topped several singles charts in Europe. His final chart success, 1989's "Don't Take It", hit #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.

In 1991 a pre-commercial release version of his song "Word to the Badd!!" (from the L.A. & Babyface-produced album You Said,) was released to radio stations. In that version he criticized his brother Michael. Michael confronted Jermaine and the two brothers discussed the issue, with Michael asking for the song to be withdrawn from airplay since it would ruin Jermaine's career, as noted on "Jackson Family Values" book. . Jermaine refused, but reworked the lyrics for final release, making the song instead about a former lover. Several other singles were released from this album, which was the second album to appear on the newly-formed LaFace Records label, including "You Said, You Said," and "I Dream, I Dream." However, the album turned out to be a commercial failure. Jermaine was soon dropped from his record label and remains unsigned to any label.

Jackson is proficient on the electric guitar and various types of bass guitars. In 1992, he produced The Jacksons: An American Dream, an award-winning and highly-rated miniseries about the history of The Jackson 5. Jermaine Jr. portrayed his father as a young teenager in the miniseries.

Jackson was the first housemate to enter the Celebrity Big Brother UK house in 2007. He steered clear of the controversy caused by the series, avoiding confrontation and offering moral support to fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty against bullying from fellow housemates Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, and Jo O'Meara. He was often considered to be the most stable minded in the house. During a task in the Big Brother house, the housemates had to create a tribute band for The Jackson 5. The performance of "I Want You Back" helped put The Jackson 5 back in the UK charts at #53. On January 28, 2007, Jackson came in second place to Shilpa Shetty in the Big Brother finale. The final three consisted of Dirk Benedict, Jermaine Jackson, and Shilpa Shetty, the winner. After leaving Big Brother, Jackson did several interviews on UK television, stating why and how he took his peaceful and mediating stance in the Big Brother house. He also spoke about the Jackson 5 reuniting for a performance. Jackson denied he was a racist after describing Jackiey Budden as "white trash" and said he was not declaring that that was what she was, but rather explaining to Shilpa how others might describe Jackiey in America.

Jackson was part of the second season of the CMT reality show Gone Country. On one episode, he admitted that he needs to sleep with the lights on in an exchange with roomie Sebastian Bach. When Bach probed Jackson further, Jackson said that he "sees people" from the 1800s if he sleeps with the lights off.

He is planning a stage show based on his family to be released in the UK. He has said that The Jacksons are recording an album and planning a family tour. Jackson returned to the UK in March 2007 to take part in the Channel 4 show Musicool as a mentor.

He is also currently involved in several charity projects and has been working on projects to help orphaned children around the world. Among other countries, he has visited Bangladesh as part of his work to raise funds and help children. He has also figured heavily on the Islam Channel in the UK where he talked about his Islamic faith as well as announcing several charity projects that he plans to undertake.

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 5 Michael Jackson night on Australian Idol. In March 2008, Jackson was the guest of honour at the Muslim Writers Awards in Birmingham, where he was interviewed live on stage by chat show host Sajid Varda, which received rave reviews. He also starred as an African man named Nadif in the 2008 film Quarantine.

On December 15, 1973, Jackson married Hazel Gordy, who is the daughter of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Their first child was Jermaine La Jaune "Jay" Jackson Jr., born on January 27, 1977, their daughter Autumn Jackson was born the following year on July 10, 1978, Jaimy Jackson born on March 17, 1987. Jackson also had a relationship with Margaret Maldonado while still married to Hazel. He first saw her dining alone in a Los Angeles restaurant and requested his friends to go and ask her to meet him . Both his wife and girlfriend were pregnant at the same time (4 months difference). After his divorce with Hazel, he convinced and stayed with Margaret. The couple had two children: Jeremy Maldonado Jackson, born in 1986, and Jourdynn Michael Jackson, born in 1989. He has another daughter called Dawn born in 1985, (according to Maldonado's book) a result of an affair while still married to Hazel. During the time he was living with Margaret, he had an affair while on tour and transmitted gonnerhea to her during Christmas of 1991. Margaret who runs a successful Los Angeles based talent agency has written a very personal book exposing what life was like living with Jermaine, who physically and pyschologically abused her and their children. After they split, and in order not to pay child support, Jermaine raised doubts regarding the paternity of their two sons. However, a DNA test was conducted resulting in a 99% match result, the highest possible score. Jermaine paid $20,000 to Margaret with money he took from his mother, Katherine.

Jackson converted to Islam in 1989 after a trip to Bahrain . Jackson has publicly expressed his religious beliefs after being part of the Big Brother house, while staying there, he prayed and fasted. He has also publicly said he had hoped to convert his brother Michael to Islam, saying it would have provided him with 'peace' and 'heal' his problems .

Shortly after separating from Maldonado, on March 18, 1995 Jackson abruptly married his younger brother Randy's ex-girlfriend, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. The couple had sons Jaffar, born in 1996, and Jermajesty, born in 2000. Jermaine filed for divorce from Oaziaza in November 2004; it was finalized in 19 May 2008. Jermaine was ordered to pay $50,000 for Alejandra's legal fees and $50,000 for child support in August 2007 ; this was in exchange for Oaziaza's waiving her right to spousal support. It was a settlement because Oaziaza was married to Nicholas Ray when she married Jermaine, and her marriage to Nicholas was never nullified, nor did she get a divorce from him. Therefore, when she married Jermaine during her marriage to Nicholas, her marriage to Jermaine was null and void.

Halima Rashid, who is of Afghan descent, became Jackson's second wife. The couple married in 2004. They currently live in Los Angeles, but frequently travel to London and Bahrain. Jermaine has seven children: three with Gordy, two with Maldonado and two with Oaziaza.

During his brother Michael Jackson's 2005 child-abuse trial, he was a staunch supporter of his brother, coming to Michael's defense on CNN's Larry King Live and appearing with him in court on numerous occasions. On June 25, 2009, Jermaine held a press conference at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and broke the news to international media, that at 2:26 pm (PDT) his younger brother Michael Jackson, had died at age 50.

Jackson attended with his family to the memorial service for his brother Michael Jackson on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He helped carry the casket of Michael, and performed the song Smile by Charlie Chaplin, in tribute to Michael, which was believed to be his brother's favorite song.

Jackson is portrayed by Jason Griffith in the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story

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