Delores Martes Jackson in Photos: Her Life Alongside Tito Jackson and Her Sons
By James H. Sterling
Tito Jackson met Delores Martes at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. At the time, the Jackson 5 were rapidly evolving from Gary, Indiana prodigies into an international phenomenon. While his brothers often made headlines for their turbulent public romances, Tito gravitated toward Martes’s quiet demeanor and grounded perspective. The pair married in June 1972. Tito was eighteen years old; Delores was seventeen.
Old family photographs from their early married life showcase a stark departure from the glitz of stadium tours. Tito and Dee Dee maintained a low profile relative to the rest of the Motown circle. She deliberately chose private life over spotlight chasing. As Tito’s brothers chased solo careers and public profiles, Martes focused on raising their three sons: Toriano Adaryll II ("Taj"), born in 1973; Taryll Adren, born in 1975; and Tito Joe ("TJ"), born in 1978.
Their sixteen-year marriage withstood the rigorous touring schedules and crushing financial scrutiny of the Jackson empire before dissolving in 1988. Despite the divorce, friends and family consistently noted that Martes and Tito maintained mutual respect, co-parenting their boys with genuine affection.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
