Steven Randall Jackson (born October 29, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and dancer. He is the ninth child in the

Jackson family The Jackson family is an American family of musicians and entertainers from Gary, Indiana. Many of the children of Joseph Walter "Joe" and Katherine Esther Jackson were successful musicians, notably the brothers that formed the Motown boy b ...

. Randy is the youngest Jackson brother and the second-youngest Jackson sibling before his sister

Janet Janet may refer to: Names * Janet (given name) Surname * Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table * Jules Janet (1861–1945), French psychologist and psychotherapist * Maur ...

. Randy is a former member of his family band

the Jacksons The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

, which he joined after his brother

Jermaine Jermaine ( ) is a masculine given name of Latin origin, derived from the French given name , which is in turn derived from the Latin given name . The masculine given name Jermaine was popularized in the 1970s by Jermaine Jackson (born 1954), a m ...

left the group (then named the Jackson 5). He was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

for his work on the 1980 studio album ''Triumph''.

Early life

Jackson was born at St Mary's Mercy Hospital in

Gary, Indiana Gary ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 69,093 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it Indiana's List of municipalities in Indiana, eleventh-most populous city. The city has been historical ...

, to Joseph Jackson and

Katherine Jackson Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse; born May 4, 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson family of entertainers that includes her children Michael and Janet Jackson. Michael dedicated his sixth studio album '' Thriller'' (1982) to her. Janet ...

. Nicknamed "Little Randy", Jackson is the ninth child of the

and youngest of the brothers. As he was only 3 years old when the Jackson 5 was first formed in 1965, he was not originally a member of the group.

Career

The Jacksons

Randy first appeared live with his brothers in 1971 at a Christmas show the Jackson 5 held for blind children. Although he was on every Jackson 5 tour since 1972, mainly playing the congas among other instruments, Randy did not officially join the family band until 1975 when they left

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

for

CBS Records CBS Records may refer to: * CBS Records, a former name of Sony Music, a global music company * CBS/Sony, a former name of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, a Japanese music company division of Sony * CBS Records International, a label for Columbia Re ...

and older brother

chose to stay with Motown, prompting Randy to replace him. The Jackson 5 officially changed their name to

when they signed with Epic in part because Motown owned the name "Jackson 5". At age 16, he co-wrote the Jacksons' most successful single on Epic, "

Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" is a song recorded by the Jacksons for their 1978 album ''Destiny'', and released as a single in early 1979. It peaked at No. 7 in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in May 1979. Background The most successful of ...

" with

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

. On March 3, 1980, Jackson was seriously injured in a car crash in Hollywood, California. In June 1980, he appeared on the cover of the weekly African-American news magazine '' Jet''. The cover headline read: "Randy Jackson Walks Again: Talks About His Future." Jackson plays congas, percussion, keyboards, piano, bass, and guitar, among other instruments. In addition to singing and playing on the Jacksons' recordings, he worked with Michael on his album ''

Off the Wall ''Off the Wall'' is the fifth studio album by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979, by Epic Records. It was Jackson's first album released through Epic Records, and the first produced by Quincy Jones, whom he met ...

''. He participated in the Jacksons'

Destiny World Tour The Destiny World Tour was the third concert tour by the Jacksons to promote the group's ''Destiny'' album. The tour began on January 22, 1979, with their opening concert in Bremen, West Germany. They visited 2 continents and 12 countries, playi ...

from 1979 to 1980, the

Triumph Tour The Triumph Tour was a concert tour by the Jacksons, covering the United States and Canada from July 8 to September 26, 1981. The tour grossed a total of $5.5 million , setting a record breaking four sold out concerts in Inglewood, California. ...

in 1981, Victory Tour in 1984, and the band's later projects. After the Victory Tour, Jackson worked with

Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores; writing and recor ...

on his album ''

Dancing on the Ceiling ''Dancing on the Ceiling'' is the third solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on August 5, 1986. The album was originally to be titled ''Say You, Say Me'', after the Academy Award-winning track of the same name, but it w ...

'' in 1985. Jackson, along with brothers Jackie,

Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 until his death ...

Marlon Marlon is a masculine given name. According to the ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', the popularity of Marlon Brando led to general awareness of the name (his father was also named Marlon), though the origin of the name is not known. Speculatio ...

, and his sister La Toya joined

USA For Africa "We Are the World" is a charity record, charity single recorded by the charity supergroup, supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones for the album ''We Are the World (al ...

to sing in "

We Are The World "We Are the World" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones for the album '' We Are the World''. With sales in excess of 20 milli ...

", which was led by Jackson's brother

, Lionel Richie,

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

, and

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...

. He was left out when the

Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

were inducted to the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...

in 1997; only the five original members were inducted. He was part of the Jacksons' 2001 reunion at Madison Square Garden, but did not appear as an official cast member in their 2009 A&E reality series '' The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty''. He did contribute backing vocals with Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Jermaine for Michael's " This Is It".

After the Jacksons

After recording ''

2300 Jackson Street ''2300 Jackson Street'' is the sixteenth and final studio album by American group the Jacksons, and their final album for record label Epic, released in the United States on May 23, 1989. The album is named after the address of their childhood h ...

'', the group disbanded and focused on separate projects in 1990. After this split, Jackson formed his band, Randy & the Gypsys. The group released only one album before breaking up. The same year, he co-founded Total Multimedia Inc. with former

Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly was an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal m ...

bass player

Philip Taylor Kramer Philip Taylor Kramer (July 12, 1952 – ) was an American bass guitar player for the rock group Iron Butterfly and associated groups between 1974 and 1980. He later became a computer engineering executive and inventor. He disappeared in F ...

to develop data compression techniques for CD-ROMs. On June 28, 1998, Jackson opened up his record label, Modern Records.

Rhythm Nation Records

Randy is currently a partner with his sister, Janet Jackson, at her independent record label Rhythm Nation Records. On August 16, 2018, Randy and Janet announced that Rhythm Nation Records was partnering with an independent music publisher, distributor, and label Cinq Music. On August 17, 2018, Janet Jackson's " Made for Now" was released, co-written by Randy.

Personal life

Family

In the 1980s, Jackson dated Bernadette Swann (née Robi),

Lynn Swann Lynn Curtis Swann (born March 7, 1952) is an American former professional football player, broadcaster, politician, and athletic director, best known for his association with the University of Southern California and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ...

's ex-wife. Swann alleged that Jackson was physically abusive, so she sought refuge at the home of her friend

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...

(Swann previously dated Turner's son). Turner shot at Jackson after he broke into her home to see Swann. Turner decided not to press charges in order to avoid bad press. In 1986, Jackson met Alejandra Loaiza. They dated for several years, and have two children together, born in 1989 and 1992. Loaiza married and divorced Randy Jackson's brother

Jermaine Jackson Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist. He is known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the ...

. Randy Jackson married Eliza Shaffy in August 1989; they divorced in 1992. They have one daughter together born in 1990.

Michael Jackson's memorial

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

's memorial service was held at the

Staples Center Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...

on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. To honor him, Randy and his brothers

, Jackie,

and

served as pallbearers with each wearing a single spangly white glove and sunglasses.

Legal issues

Battery charge

In January 1991, Jackson was charged with

battery Battery or batterie most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

for beating his wife Eliza Shaffy and their 7-month-old daughter Stevanna. He pleaded

no contest ''Nolo contendere'' () is a type of legal plea used in some jurisdictions in the United States. It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. It is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an ...

to the charge, was placed on two years' probation and ordered to enroll in a

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

program, but didn't comply. In November 1991, Jackson was arrested after Shaffy phoned the police to report that the beatings did not stop. He was sentenced to 30 days in a mental hospital, Pine Grove Hospital, in

Canoga Park Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and ...

and ordered to serve the remainder of his probation and enroll in a year-long domestic violence rehabilitation program. Disappointed that Jackson received no jail time, Shaffy filed for divorce.

Bankruptcy

Jackson filed for bankruptcy in 1996. He was ordered to surrender his shares in Modern Records Inc. In May 1998, an arrest warrant was issued when Jackson failed to turn over the stock. In 2001, he pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud by failing to list all his vehicular assets.

Child support

In January 2012, Jackson filed a complaint against Loaiza, disputing an alleged $500,000 owed in child support. He claimed he had never been served for the initial paternity lawsuit, instead claiming that the matter had been settled in 1993. His absence at the paternity proceedings resulted in a default judgment in Loaiza's favor.

Disputed will and child custody

Randy attempted to unseat executors

John Branca John Gregory Branca (born December 11, 1950) is an entertainment lawyer and manager who specializes in representing rock and roll acts. He is also co-executor of the Estate of Michael Jackson. Background His mother, Barbara Werle, Barbara M ...

and John McClain and dismiss the will of his brother Michael, which reportedly made their mother Katherine furious. He, Jermaine and Janet objected to the 2011 tribute concert held for Michael, stating that they felt the family's attention should have been focused on

Conrad Murray Conrad Robert Murray (born February 19, 1953) is a Grenadian-American former cardiologist and convicted felon. He was the personal physician of Michael Jackson on the day of his death in 2009. In 2011, Murray was convicted of involuntary mansl ...

's trial. The three siblings were later involved in an event where Katherine lost custody of Michael's children due to suspicion that she was "prevented from acting as a guardian because of the acts of third parties". Randy, Jermaine, and Janet attempted to take the children with them to Arizona, where it was alleged that Katherine was being held against her will after being kidnapped. Footage of the event appeared to show the siblings storming the house and Janet trying to take Paris's phone. Sheriff's deputies broke up an altercation between Randy, Jermaine and Trent (Katherine's nephew-in-law and paternal cousin of Randy and Jermaine). In the end, the court ordered that Katherine would share custody of Prince, Paris, and Bigi ("Blanket") with their cousin, TJ Jackson, the then 34-year-old son of Tito Jackson.

Discography

Singles

with Randy and the Gypsys

Studio albums

Singles

Promotional singles

References

External links

Jackson Source: Randy Jackson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Randy 1961 births Living people 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American keyboardists 20th-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American keyboardists 21st-century American singer-songwriters African-American male guitarists African-American male singer-songwriters African-American pianists American funk bass guitarists American funk guitarists American funk keyboardists American male bass guitarists American male guitarists American male pianists American male pop singers American male singer-songwriters American multi-instrumentalists American percussionists American rhythm and blues bass guitarists American rhythm and blues guitarists American rhythm and blues keyboardists American rhythm and blues singers American child pop musicians Conga players Epic Records artists Guitarists from Indiana

Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive, television presenter and musician, best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing b ...

Musicians from Gary, Indiana People convicted of battery Singer-songwriters from Indiana The Jackson 5 members