Jackie Jackson's Real Name: Sigmund Esco Jackson

Quick answer: Jackie Jackson was born Sigmund Esco Jackson on May 4, 1951, in Gary, Indiana. Jackie is the name he has used throughout his career. He is the oldest of the five brothers in the Jackson 5, the Motown group whose first four singles all reached No. 1. He later sang with the Jacksons (Britannica Kids; AllMusic).

Real name and early life

Britannica's student encyclopedia entry on the Jackson 5 lists him as "Jackie (born Sigmund Esco Jackson on May 4, 1951)." It says all the group's members were born in Gary, Indiana. AllMusic's biography also says he was "born Sigmund Esco Jackson in 1951 in Gary, Indiana." The Library of Congress files his recordings under "Jackson, Jackie."

His parents were Joseph Jackson, a crane operator at a steel plant and sometime musician, and Katherine Jackson. The children were raised in a strict, religious household and sang together under their mother's lead. Siblings include Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael, Randy, Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet. AllMusic says the brothers secretly practiced on their father's guitar and that Jackie's first dream was to be a baseball player.

Career highlights

In the early 1960s, Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine began performing locally as the Jackson Family. Marlon and Michael later joined them. After winning a citywide talent show in Gary, they recorded "Big Boy," a regional hit, for the local Steeltown label. Britannica Kids notes that Jackie, the oldest, was still a teenager when the group became a phenomenon.

After a win at Harlem's Apollo Theater, the group signed with Berry Gordy's Motown. Their debut album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, came out in 1969. Their first four Motown singles, "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There," all reached No. 1. AllMusic describes Jackie as a co-lead singer with Michael, known for his high voice.

In 1975 the brothers left Motown for Epic Records. Jermaine stayed with Motown, Randy replaced him, and for legal reasons the group became the Jacksons. Their albums included Destiny (1978), Triumph (1980), and Live (1981), and they reunited with Michael for the 1984 Victory Tour. Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, and Randy later recorded 2300 Jackson Street (1989), named for their childhood home in Gary. The Jackson 5 entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Britannica Kids notes that Tito died on September 15, 2024, and Michael Jackson in 2009.

Name notes for searchers

Sigmund is his legal first name, and Esco is his middle name. Jackie is the name he uses professionally and in group credits. AllMusic lists his children as Sigmund and Brandi. Do not confuse him with Randy Jackson, born Steven Randall Jackson, the brother who replaced Jermaine.