La Toya Jackson's Biography

One of the younger children of the world famous and renowned Jackson Family, La Toya Jackson was born into show business and was exposed to music all her life. La Toya made her debut at the MGM grand hotel in Las Vegas, tap dancing and singing with her brothers, The Jackson Five. Having come from an extraordinarily talented family La Toya decided to make show business a part of her life as well and has extensively traveled the world, performing in more than 90 countries. La Toya's success is on an international scale and her concerts always play to a sold out audience.

La Toya also wrote songs with her sister Janet and then later joined forces with her brothers on their 1980 "Triumph" album. After performing in Las Vegas, writing with her sister and joining forces with her brothers, La Toya couldn't wait to get in the studio to record her self-titled debut album, which was released in September 1980; that album went on to get rave reviews by Billboard Magazine as well as many other major music magazines. The albums first single, 'Night Time Lover' which was produced by Michael Jackson with Stevie Wonder on harmonica hit the charts in the top 40. In 1982 she lent her voice to the world's largest selling album ever: "Thriller" which to date has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. In 1983 La Toya continued to write songs and "Reggae Nights", on the album "The Power and The Glory" performed by Jimmy Cliff became the biggest selling single in Paris - ever. The album also reached platinum status and was nominated for a Grammy.

Jimmy Cliff was so pleased with the song and the success of the record that he asked La Toya for several more songs for his 1995 release "Cliff Hanger" and once again La Toya pulled out the pen and paper and wrote two more songs for him; 'Brown Eyes' and 'American Sweet', which contributed to another platinum album and a Grammy.

La Toya has also guest-starred in many television shows as well as being invited as a guest on almost every major talk show in the world. In 1991 her book "La Toya, Growing Up In The Jackson Family" wrote media history and was on the New York Times Best Seller List at the #2 position for several weeks, selling over a million copies. In 1993, La Toya appeared in her own exercise video entitled "Step-Up Workout With La Toya Jackson" which has been released in many countries and has received "A" status ratings and excellent reviews.

La Toya electrified the world in 1987 by posing for Playboy Magazine. Newsvendors could not open the shipment fast enough and 8 million copies of the magazine sold within one month - an unheard of number - more than any other issue in the 50 year history of Playboy. La Toya also became the highest-paid model ever in the history of the publication. After her glamorous pictorial appeared in Playboy, La Toya signed a multi-million dollar deal with the world famous Moulin Rouge in Paris, an international landmark and benchmark for high class entertainment. Once again La Toya Jackson was the highest-paid performer ever in the hundred year history of the renowned theatre. Three years prior to La Toya's opening, the Moulin Rouge was only selling out one show per night, but as soon as La Toya began headlining the show, people flew in from around the world and packed the 2200 seats for an unprecedented two performances per night, 6 nights a week - and this for almost 6 months. Every single show was sold out and ended in a standing ovation.

At the top of the European scene, La Toya was honored as one of the ten best-dressed women in the world by the top fashion designers of Paris and Milan. However the glamourous international lifestyle and never-ending string of triumphant successes represent only one side to La Toya Jackson's larger than life personality. Another, not so widely publicized aspect to La Toya found her touring with Bob Hope around the world with the USO in support of American Servicemen and Servicewomen in the far corners of the globe (including during the first Gulf War) and she worked side by side with our former 1st Lady, Nancy Reagan, as an official spokesperson for the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign. In addition to these various activities, her efforts and support on behalf of sick and needy children has been recognized around the world. She has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars to help feed the hungry of the world.

After going through a much publicized marriage and later a divorce in 1996, La Toya decided to take several years off from recording, performing and step out of the limelight in general.

Jackson took a hiatus from music after her divorce from Gordon in 1997, re-appearing in 2003 to announce her first musical project in six years, Startin' Over. The lead single was 2004's "Just Wanna Dance" which La Toya released independently under her pseudonymous nickname "Toy" in order to avoid any prejudices DJs might hold against La Toya Jackson's name. The plan worked, with "Just Wanna Dance" reaching #13 on the US Billboard Hot Dance chart.

"Free The World" was released later that year to similar success. Jackson's label, Ja-Tail Records secured a deal with Universal Music Group to distribute the album, which was delayed several times due to extenuating circumstances. After a two-year hiatus, "I Don't Play That," a non-album single, was released to radio in January of 2007.

The 2003 promotional copy of Startin' Over leaked online in 2006, however Jackson's management revealed that the entire album was being re-recorded with an all-new track list and updated sound.

The final version of Startin' Over was completed in late 2008, just before Jackson joined the cast of Celebrity Big Brother. A new lead single, "Love, Honor, and Obey," planned for a summer 2009 release, was put on hold due to the death of Jackson's younger brother Michael. Instead, "Home" will be released on the 28th of July 2009 in Michael's memory. All proceeds will go to AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of his favorite charities.

For more information on La Toya Jackson please visit: www.latoyaonline.com or www.jatail.com

( image credit: all album and booklet designs except Home by Ian D. Marsden )