Solo career
Like Michael, Jermaine began a solo career while still a member of The Jackson 5, and had a hit with the 1972 Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home". When The Jackson 5 left Motown, Jermaine left the group and stayed at Motown, as he was married to Hazel Gordy, the daughter of Motown founder Berry Gordy.Jermaine was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1980 album Let's Get Serious. He had numerous Hot 100 Top 30 hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Daddy's Home" (#9), "That's How Love Goes", "Let's Be Young Tonight", "Bass Odyssey", "Feel the Fire", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" (featuring Devo on backing vocals) (#18), "Let's Get Serious" (#9, also one of his only two UK hits, peaking at #8), "Dynamite" (#15), "Do What You Do" (#13), and "I Think It's Love" (#16). A duet with his brother Michael, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)", hit #1 on the dance chart in 1984. He and Michael also collaborated with Rockwell, both providing guest vocals on his 1984 hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me". In 1985, his duet with Pia Zadora, When the Rain Begins to Fall, topped several singles charts in Europe. His final chart success, 1989's "Don't Take It Personal", hit #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Some of Jermaine's finest moments as a singer can be heard in the soulful "Castle of Sand" and the Earth Wind & Fire inspired "You Need To Be Loved".
Jackson is proficient on the electric guitar and is a talented bass guitar player. Already at an early age he performed the parts of legendary bass player James Jamerson etc when J5 performed live. Jermaine also composed and produced for other artists like Switch. He also produced and sang a couple of duets on Whitney Houston's debut album on Arista Records. In 1992, he and Margaret Maldonaldo produced The Jacksons: An American Dream, an award-winning and highly-rated miniseries about the history of The Jackson 5. Jermaine Jr. portrayed his father as a young teenager in the miniseries.
Death of Michael Jackson
On June 25th, 2009 Jermaine's younger brother Michael died as a result of cardiac arrest at age 50. A public memorial service was held on July 7th, 2009. At the Michael Jackson memorial, Jermaine performed Michael's favorite song "Smile" as a tribute to his late brother.Reality TV: Big Brother UK
Jackson was the first housemate to enter the Celebrity Big Brother UK house in 2007. He steered clear of the controversy caused by the series, avoiding confrontation and offering moral support to fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty against bullying from fellow housemates Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, and Jo O'Meara. He was often considered to be the most stable minded in the house. During a task in the Big Brother house, the housemates had to create a tribute band for The Jackson 5. The performance of "I Want You Back" helped put The Jackson 5 back in the UK charts at #53. On January 28, 2007, Jackson came in second place to Shilpa Shetty in the Big Brother finale. The final three consisted of Dirk Benedict, Jermaine Jackson, and Shilpa Shetty, the winner. After leaving Big Brother, Jackson did several interviews on UK television, stating why and how he took his peaceful and mediating stance in the Big Brother house. He also spoke about the Jackson 5 reuniting for a performance. Jackson denied he was a racist after describing Jackiey Budden as "white trash" and said he was not declaring that this was what she was, but rather explaining to Shilpa how others might describe Jackiey in America.Jackson was part of the second season of the CMT reality show Gone Country. On one episode, he admitted that he needs to sleep with the lights on in an exchange with roomie Sebastian Bach. When Bach probed Jackson further, Jackson said that he "sees people" from the 1800s if he sleeps with the lights off.
Later works
He is planning a stage show based on his family to be released in the UK. He has said that The Jacksons are recording an album and planning a family tour. Jackson returned to the UK in March 2007 to take part in the Channel 4 show Musicool as a mentor.He is also currently involved in several charity projects and has been working on projects to help orphaned children around the world. Among other countries, he has visited Bangladesh as part of his work to raise funds and help children. He has also figured heavily on the Islam Channel in the UK where he talked about his Islamic faith as well as announcing several charity projects that he plans to undertake.
In April 2007, Jackson returned to the UK to take part in a one-off special of ITV's Challenge Anneka. On the same trip he appeared in Glasgow with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, speaking in support of Searchlight magazine's anti-racism campaign, the Daily Mirror "Hope Not Hate bus".
On November 23, 2007, Jackson appeared on Katie & Peter: Unleashed and again talked of a reunion with his brothers on a tour the following year. In 2008, Jackson flew to Australia to be a guest judge and mentor for the top 5 Michael Jackson night on Australian Idol. In March 2008, Jackson was the guest of honour at the Muslim Writers Awards in Birmingham.
Personal life
On December 15, 1973, Jackson married Hazel Gordy, who is the daughter of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. Their first child was Jermaine La Jaune Jackson, Jr. aka Jay, born on January 27, 1977, their daughter Autumn Jackson was born the following year on July 10, 1978, Jaimy Jackson born on June 20, 1987. Jackson also had a relationship with Margaret Maldonado while still married to Hazel. After his divorce with Hazel, he convinced and stayed with Margaret. The couple had two children: Jeremy Maldonado Jackson, born on December 16, 1986 and Jourdynn Michael Jackson, born on October 7, 1989.Jackson converted to Islam in 1989 after a trip to Bahrain. Jackson has publicly expressed his religious beliefs after being part of the Big Brother house, while staying there, he prayed and fasted. He has also publicly said he had hoped to convert his brother Michael to Islam, saying it would have provided him with 'peace' and 'heal' his problems.
Shortly after separating from Maldonado, on March 18, 1995 Jackson went with his younger brother Randy's ex-girlfriend, Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. The couple had sons Jaafar, born on January 25, 1996, and Jermajesty, born on January 2, 2000; Jermaine separated from Oaziaza in November 2004; Jermaine was ordered to pay $50,000 for Alejandra's legal fees and $50,000 for child support in August 2007. this was in exchange for Oaziaza's waiving her right to spousal support. It was a settlement because Oaziaza was married to Nicholas Ray when she married Jermaine, and her marriage to Nicholas was never nullified, nor did she get a divorce from him. Therefore, when she married Jermaine during her marriage to Nicholas, her marriage to Jermaine was null and void.
Halima Rashid, who is of Afghan descent, became Jackson's second wife. The couple married in 2004. They currently live in Los Angeles, but frequently travel to London and Bahrain. Jermaine has seven children: three with Gordy, two with Maldonado and two with Oaziaza.
During his brother Michael Jackson's 2005 child-abuse trial, he was a staunch supporter of his brother, coming to Michael's defense on CNN's Larry King Live and appearing with him in court on numerous occasions. On June 25, 2009, Jermaine held a press conference at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and broke the news to international media, that at 2:26 pm (PDT) his younger brother Michael Jackson, had died at age 50.
Jackson attended with his family to the memorial service for his brother Michael Jackson on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He helped carry the casket of Michael, and performed the song Smile by Charlie Chaplin, in tribute to Michael, which was believed to be his brother's favorite song.
Jermaine Jackson is also an avid Dodgers fan. In 2009, while wearing a Manny Ramirez jersey, he made a one handed catch of a foul ball while seated behind the Dodgers dugout.
From Wikipedia
