Jermaine Jackson

Jermaine Jackson Biography

Jermaine LaJaune Jackson, now Muhammad Abdul Aziz (born December 11, 1954), is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, bass guitarist, former member of The Jackson 5 and brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

Biography

Early life and career

Born to parents Joseph and Katherine Jackson in Gary, Indiana, Jermaine became the original lead singer of an earlier incarnation of the Jackson 5 until 1967 when younger brother Michael assisted lead vocals but would co-lead with Michael for many years. Jermaine and his brothers signed with Motown Records in 1969. As the co-lead singer of The Jackson 5 after his brother Michael, Jermaine sang notable parts of "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There", "I Am Love", "Dancing Machine", and many other Jackson 5 songs. Like Michael, Jermaine also began a solo career concurrent to his tenure in The Jackson 5, and had a hit with the 1972 Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home".

Solo Career

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 owner Berry Gordy. Jackson was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1979 album Let's Get Serious. He had several Hot 100 Top 20 hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Daddy's Home" (#9), "That's How Love Goes", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered", "Isn't She Lovely", "Let's Get Serious" (written and produced by Stevie Wonder) (#9), "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" (featuring Devo on backing vocals) (#18), "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'", hit #1 on the dance chart in 1984. 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 Personal", hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart. In 1991 he released "Word To The Badd!!". In that song he criticized his brother Michael, mainly his skin color change. Jackson can play the electric guitar, various types of bass guitars, and is known for his dancing abilities on stage. In 2006 Jermaine announced he will have an album coming out in 2007 under family record label Jesco Records called I'm Back.

Personal life

Jermaine Jackson has been married three times and has ten children. He first married Hazel Gordy in 1973 while still in the Jackson 5. Her father, Berry Gordy, was their current manager at the time at Motown Records. When brothers changed label due to creativity reasons, Jermaine left the Jackson 5 and produced many solo records under his father-in-law's label. Hazel and Jermaine had their first child Jermaine Jr. (often called Jay) in 1977. Their daughter Autumn Jackson was born in 1978.

In 1985 Jermaine had a daughter called Dawn. However, her mother was not Hazel. The couple did, however, remain together until son Jeremy Jackson was born in 1986 to a woman named Margaret Maldonado. Hazel and Jermaine divorced in 1987 after fourteen years of marriage as Jermaine expected a second child to Margaret. Jaimy Jackson was born later that same year to Hazel. Jermaine began his relationship with Margaret Maldonado in 1988. A year later in 1989 Jermaine and Margaret had son Jourdyn Jackson. The couple lived together in the Jackson family home in California (owned by brother Michael) until 1994 when they separated, having never married.

A year after separating from Margaret Maldonado, Jermaine Jackson married Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. Alejandra had previously left and divorced brother Randy Jackson the year before - after fourteen months of marriage. They shared daughter Genevieve and twins Randy Jr and Donte. However, after the divorce, Alejandra was granted custody and the children lived with their mother and step father (Uncle Jermaine) in the same Jackson house in California. In 1996 Jermaine and Alejandra had a child of their own together - Jaffar Jackson. They had a son together in 2000 named Jermajesty before their divorce in 2004. This marriage of Randy's ex-wife was rumoured to have caused a rift between the brothers. They have now, however, sorted it out as seen at brother Michael's trial.

Jermaine Jackson married his third wife Haleema Rasheed in 2004 after he permanently shifted to the Middle East. Though he resides in several estates, he doesn't live in America but merely visits his children who live with their mothers. They often visit the Jackson Family compound in the Los Angeles district of Encino.

He is also a vegan.

Later life

Jermaine converted to Islam after a visit to Bahrain in the 1980s. In 1992, he, Margaret, and Suzanne de Passe 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.

Jermaine Jackson, who currently lives in Dubai and often resides in Bahrain, announced plans in 2006 to build an entertainment complex in Yerevan, Armenia that will see artists perform for local audiences. Jackson, currently visiting the area, has told how he also plans to build a hotel, restaurant and television company as part of the venture. He has also expressed hopes of brother Michael Jackson attending the opening. During Michael's 2005 child abuse trial, Jermaine was an avid supporter of his brother. He came to Michael's defence several times on the Larry King show and appeared with Michael in court on numerous occasions.

Celebrity Big Brother

Jermaine was the first housemate to enter the Celebrity Big Brother UK house in 2007. He found himself with a bunch of almost strangers only knowing Leo Sayer, another singer from the seventies. He has been seen talking to fellow housemates in a mellow, calm and relaxed way and continues to get along with them well with various housemates commenting, "A nice guy". In a recent racism row, Jermaine sided with fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty against reality TV star Jade Goody.

Discography

Jermaine (1972)
Come Into My Life (1973)
I Love You (1974) (unreleased)
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)