brotherhood Is The Key
To be absolutely honest with you; as big a Jackson Five and Jacksons fan as I am, even I was mighty leery when I first heard the announcement of the formation of 3T. Trust me, it has nothing to do with my doubting the possibility of these three young men being talented. Let's face it, Taj, Taryll and Tj Jackson are the sons of Tito Jackson, Nephews of Randy, Jermaine, Marlon, Jackie, Rebbie and LaToya. And then of course, there is their Auntie Janet and the man that they affectionately refer to as Uncle Doo Doo (yes, as in Michael Jackson).
In fact, I was even very familiar with their talents as athletes on the basketball court and especially on the baseball diamond. Having honed their skills as athletes to be reckoned with since they were mere tots; it was quite a surprise to hear that they were finally pursuing their musical talents. "We were all into sports, but at the same time, coming form the Jackson family, we were surrounded by music, the hype, the fans and all of that. It really became something that we wanted to do and become a part of very early. We would play basketball and baseball, but at the same time, we were always doing music," Taryll recalls. "So I guess it started from day one as far as playing baseball and doing music," He continues, "I guess the music was something we also wanted to do plus, the fact that we could all do it together." TJ agrees, adding, "We did want to do music, but we wanted it on our own, which is why we chose the name 3T as opposed to the Jackson Three or whatever."
That statement brings to mind the fact that Tito didn't try to force music upon them as some sort of mandatory requirement during their adolescent years. If anything, it seemed as if he was clearly steering them towards being sportsmen. In retrospect, one gets the feeling that as a father he gave his sons their own career choices. Isn't it ironic that as young adults the threesome have come full circle choosing music, thus continuing the family legacy? With the recent release of their debut CD, Brotherhood, the trio of gifted and handsome young men are off to quite an impressive start.
Having had songs on soundtracks for both the Free Willy movies, gave the brothers Jackson a chance to sharpen their chops as far as studio experience and writing, as they wrote both songs. Taryll penned "What Will it Take" from Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, while all three collaborated on "Didn't Mean To Hurt You" from the first,. By the way, the guys have a gold sales plaque from the success of the first movie soundtrack. Just to give you an idea of how grounded and hard working these guys truly are, in reference to the congratulations extended to them on their gold plaques by this writer, Taryll says on behalf of he and his brothers , "Of course we are grateful for our accomplishment, but we will be considering the success of Brotherhood as or real test. The Free Willy situation is like getting a ring and a jacket for winning the championship, but you sat on the bench for the whole season."He also recalls being a pre-teen when the Jackson had their now-famous softball team, playing games on Sundays in California's Balboa park. "Fans would ask for our autographs just for being a part of the family." Taryll relates as if he's still in disbelief almost a decade later. We'd sign them because the fans would insist that they really wanted ours too, but it always felt as if we didn't deserve the right to be signing our autographs."
Of course that was then. Yet 1995 brings about a new day for 3T as TJ, Taj, and Taryll jump-start their own music career. Taryll has even come around to the autograph signing thing. He now feels, "It's a good feeling when people ask for you autograph, but we wanted to earn their asking." Well, as their first single, "Anything," ascends upward (chart wise), supported by a super video, these young men became more and more deserving with each ticking of the clock. A word of advice to fans, however, is to keep in mind that the guys are extremely shy. Should you happen upon them as they make their way around the globe promoting and supporting Brotherhood, do feel free to approach them, as they are some cool brothers. "Expect us to be real shy, but don't take shy for arrogance," Taj requests. TJ also shares, "Taj is the most sensitive person and performer. However, Taryll is probably the most shy. I'm shy as well, but once I get to know a person, it's okay." The thing of being shy is without doubt, a trait that Uncle Michael is famous for, and when asked what they think of him, Taj share, "When we see him on stage, we pretty much agree with everyone else, but off stage, he's just our uncle." It is of no surprise that the mega-superstar made time in his always-busy schedule to not only making of their musical debut, but to actually participate as well. On the Babyface composition, "Why," he's dueting and singing in the background, while he shares background vocals with Taj, TJ, Taryll and a choir on the fabulous Eric Carmen_written, "I Need You."
3T assures that they really put heart and soul into this project, which dedicated to the memory of their mother, Delores "Dee Dee" Jackson. These three young men are involved in every single aspect of what presented to the public as it relates to the group. Taj even designed the logo. They all agree that as a group they'd like to set records and make new trends. One such start,is the wearing of their pajamas. "It's not something that we're trying to do for attention," TJ explains, "We really like them because they are casual and comfortable. When we were younger, any one of us might go to the garage at some odd hour, dressed in our pj's and start fiddling around with the music equipment, then someone else, also in pj's would hear him, join in and before you know it, we'd all be in there having a jam session in our pj's . Even poppa "T" (their father, Tito) would be on his guitar. So the whole thing with the pj's is very real to us and very true to 3T."
Before concluding this story, it should be shared with 3T's female admirers, their tastes when it comes to that special someone. TJ, whose formal name is Tito Joe, is the resident "Romeo" says, "Mainly for me, it's the inside. I don't like girls who have an attitude or that are all egotistical. I want a girl who is just nice and modest." For Taryll Arden, who collects sports cards (especially rookie cards), "someone that has a good heart, likes to have fun and is down to earth," could win his heart. Tariano "Taj" Adaryll, you must keep in mind is the eldest and most sensitive says, "having fun is important . Companionship and someone to just hang out with and keep me company is what I look for, as well as someone into video games, movies and sports. It's important that she's athletic and not scared to break a fingernail."
There you have it, 3T in the raw and giving up the real. If the platform upon which they are going to be building their career is any indication of what lies ahead for these three young men, then major success is inevitable. After all, the four pillars with which they support their foundation are: genetic, artistic, optimistic and authentic!!!
Article courtesy of "Black Beat" Magazine