Joe Jackson, musical family patriarch, dies at 89

Joe Jackson, the patriarch of one of the most influential families ever in pop music, died early Wednesday after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 89. Jackson managed the early career of his most famous son, Michael Jackson, and Michael's brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Tito, as part of the Jackson 5. He also managed Janet Jackson and her sisters Rebbie and La Toya separately. Joe Jackson was known for his stern and sometimes abusive handling of his children. In 2002, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named him Best Entertainment Manager of All Time. "Joe was a strong man who acknowledged his own imperfections and heroically delivered his sons and daughters from the steel mills of Gary, Indiana, to worldwide pop superstardom," the Michael Jackson estate said in a statement. "Mr. Jackson's contributions to the history of music are enormous."

Source: TMZ, Vulture