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Motown royalty The Jackson Five defined a sound for a generation and went on to launch the careers of two of the industry's hottest talents. Driven by the definitive show biz father Joseph Jackson, the all-brother group was composed of Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. Father Joe Jackson played guitar in a local blues band, and he only wanted his sons to succeed-the boys recall their disciplinarian father urging them on with pep talks and threats. Despite their talent, The Jackson Five were constrained to touring the all black "Chitlin' Circuit'" through the South-often the underage boys would open for strip club bands and other adult acts. The family group killed their audition spot in New York City during the famous Live At the Apollo Theater appearance and the rest is history. The Jackson Five perfectly blended the sublime funk beats of Sly & the Family Stone with the soaring soul of R&B legend Marvin Gaye to produce a blissed-out pop confection of danceable harmonic disco. Motown svengali Berry Gordy embraced the band after seeing The Jackson Five perform James Brown's hit "I Got the Feelin'" and the Sly & the Family Stone classic "Stand!" Eventually, it proved to be these same Motown songwriters-Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren and a crew of other regulars-who would write the band's signature hits. Classic jams like "ABC" and "I'll Be There" defined the late-70's Motown sound-a fusion of soul and bubblegum pop-and the Jackson Five went on to dominate the 70's pop charts and launch the careers of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

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