When the Jacksons closed their 1975 tour with a show in Mexico City, the group delivered everything you’d expect: the hits (from “I Want You Back” and “ABC” to Michael’s “Ben”), newer material like “Dancing Machine,” and killer choreography. But during a segment in which each member of their backing band stepped out for an extended solo, fans were also reminded of one of the group’s secret musical weapons: brother Tito’s guitar.

Tito Jackson, who died on September 15 at age 70 from undisclosed causes, was never the focus of the Jackson 5 (or the Jacksons, as they came to be known). As he would have known, the songs, the dance moves, and of course his younger brother Michael were the draw. But from the beginning, while his brothers were practicing their harmonies, Tito was moving toward his own role as guitarist in the band.

Encouraged by their domineering father, who was impressed by seven-year-old Tito’s early skills and gave him a new guitar, Jackson became a serious student, poring over records by the Temptations and the Isley Brothers. His family also introduced him to the blues, which became his lifelong passion. “My dad, my mom,” he told Blues Blast in 2021, “they played a lot of blues at barbecues, family gatherings, stuff like that. They played a lot of Jimmy Reed (who lived in town), Muddy Waters, Albert Collins. You name it, they played it!”

Throughout the Jacksons’ career, Tito incorporated all of those influences into the brothers’ work, particularly their live shows. During a slinky live version of Isaac Hayes’ and David Porter’s “Walk on By,” he added psychedelic funk lines. On the band’s 1980 live album, Jacksons Live!, Tito played several solos on “Workin’ Day and Night.” The first, with its fluttering notes, recalled jazz greats like George Benson, while his later attention turned to funk metal, which reminded him of the work of another early hero, Ernie Isley.

But in Mexico City in 1975, Tito was truly the young bluesman. As seen during a segment of the show filmed for release, Tito, then just 22, begins the interlude with a gentle blues flourish reminiscent of another idol, B.B. King (who would sign one of Tito’s guitars). After the other band members take turns, the action returns to Tito, who closes the segment with a flurry of sharp, stabbing notes that showcased his skills and his own roots. While his brothers soared into the airwaves, Tito kept them grounded.