Joe Jackson, patriarch of Jackson family, dies aged 89

Joe Jackson, father of late pop icon Michael Jackson, has died aged 89 after battling pancreatic cancer in the past few months.

The entertainment manager who was renowned for his sternness died in Los Angeles, US, at 3:30am (American time) on Wednesday, according to a report by TMZ.

Members of his family, including his children, wife Katherine, and grandchildren were reportedly at his bedside when he died.

Jackson battled illness in the last years of his life. In 2015, he suffered a stroke and three heart attacks. He was also involved in an accident which resulted in his hospitalisation in 2017.

Last week, he was admitted to the hospital when his condition began to rapidly deteriorate.

Jermaine Jackson, one of his sons, had said he was in his “final days” and that he was very frail.

The patriarch of America’s most famous musical family was born in 1928 and married wife Katherine in 1949.

He was responsible for kickstarting the careers of Jackson 5, and also the solo careers of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

In 2002, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoured him as best entertainment manager of all time.

Prior to engineering his children’s careers, Jackson and his brother, Luther, were members of a ’50s band called the Falcons.