Early life and the Jackson 5 (1958–1975)

The single-story house has white walls, two windows, a central white door with a
black door frame, and a black roof. In front of the house there is a walkway and
multiple colored flowers and memorabilia.
Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, pictured in March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson[3][4] was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958.[5][6]
He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-
American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.[7][8] His mother,
Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be
a country-and-western performer, and worked part-time at Sears.[9] She was a
Jehovah's Witness.[10] His father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a former boxer, was
a crane operator at US Steel and played guitar with a local rhythm and blues band,
the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.[11][12] Joe's great-grandfather,
July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army scout; family lore held that he was also a Native
American medicine man.[13] Michael grew up with three sisters (Rebbie, La Toya, and
Janet) and five brothers (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy).[11] A sixth
brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.[14]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their
father which included Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas
and tambourine.[15][16] Michael said his father told him he had a "fat nose",[17]
and physically and emotionally abused him during rehearsals. He recalled that Joe
often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed,
ready to punish any mistakes.[10][18] Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped
Michael.[19] Katherine said that although whipping came to be considered abuse, it
was a common way to discipline children when Michael was growing up.[20][21]
Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon denied that their father was abusive and said
that the whippings, which had a deeper impact on Michael because he was younger,
kept them disciplined and out of trouble.[22] Michael said that during his youth he
was lonely and isolated.[23]

Later in 1965, Michael began sharing lead vocals with Jermaine, and the group's
name was changed to the Jackson 5.[24] In 1965, the group won a talent show;
Michael performed the dance to Robert Parker's 1965 song "Barefootin'" and sang the
Temptations' "My Girl".[25] From 1966 to 1968, the Jacksons 5 toured the Midwest;
they frequently played at a string of black clubs known as the Chitlin' Circuit as
the opening act for artists such as Sam & Dave, the O'Jays, Gladys Knight and Etta
James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease
shows were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances.[26][27] In
August 1967, while touring the East Coast, they won a weekly amateur night concert
at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.[28]

Michael Jackson (center) as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1972. The group were among
the first African American performers to attain a crossover following.[29]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs for a Gary record label, Steeltown Records;
their first single, "Big Boy", was released in 1968.[30] Bobby Taylor of Bobby
Taylor & the Vancouvers brought the Jackson 5 to Motown after they opened for
Taylor at Chicago's Regal Theater in 1968. Taylor produced some of their early
Motown recordings, including a version of "Who's Lovin' You".[31] After signing
with Motown, the Jackson family relocated to Los Angeles.[32] In 1969, Motown
executives decided Diana Ross should introduce the Jackson 5 to the public — partly
to bolster her career in television — sending off what was considered Motown's last
product of its "production line".[33] The Jackson 5 made their first television
appearance in 1969 in the Miss Black America pageant, performing a cover of "It's
Your Thing".[34] Rolling Stone later described the young Michael as "a prodigy"
with "overwhelming musical gifts" who "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead
singer".[35]
In January 1970, "I Want You Back" became the first Jackson 5 song to reach number
one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it stayed there for four weeks. Three more singles
with Motown topped the chart: "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".[36]
In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large house at Hayvenhurst, a 2-acre
(0.81 ha) estate in Encino, California.[37] During this period, Michael developed
from a child performer into a teen idol.[38] Between 1972 and 1975, he released
four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me
(1973) and Forever, Michael (1975).[39] "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title
tracks from his first two solo albums, sold well as singles, as did a cover of
Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".[40]

Michael maintained ties to the Jackson 5.[39] The Jackson 5 were later described as
"a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists".[41] They were frustrated by
Motown's refusal to allow them creative input.[42] Jackson's performance of their
top five single "Dancing Machine" on Soul Train popularized the robot dance.[43]
[44]