My name is La Toya Yvonne Jackson. I was born on May 29th in Gary, Indiana USA, the fifth of nine children to Katherine and Joseph Jackson. I lived with with my brothers and sisters, Rebbie (Maureen), Jackie (Sigmund), Tito (Toriano), Jermaine, Marlon, Michael, Randy (Stephen) and Janet. We all lived in Indiana until my brothers signed with Motown as the legendary Jackson 5. 

Then in August 1969 my father moved Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Jermaine and Michael to Hollywood. By Christmas of that year my mother joined them along with Randy, Janet and myself. We later moved to Beverly Hills, many years later my father decided on Encino, where my mother and father still live today, among other places. 

After school I loved spending time at the hospital around the corner from my house. There were lots of elderly people that needed my help. I would read to them, take them on walks, tell them stories, feed them and play lots of games with them. I eventually became a Candy-striper, this I loved. It was great knowing people needed my help and I could help them. I guess that's one of the reasons why l when I traveI find myself visiting hospitals of children that have cancer, that have been abused, that are burned victims and are very ill. I always make sure I bring them books, toys, balloons and sweets. It's amazing to see how this can cheer up the sickly children when you visit them, I love seeing the smiles and joy this bring to them. 

I've been surrounded by music all my life, but when the Jacksons Variety Show opened in Las Vegas in 1976, that's when I really got involved in the music business, Tap dancing and singing. By 1980, I was appearing solo. My debut album did fine. In 1983 I appeared in the video for Michael's duet with Paul McCartney "Say Say Say". My next album was charting well when I appeared at the Grammy Awards, to present Michael with one of the eight Grammys he won that night. Speaking of Grammy's I found myself writing a song for Jimmy Cliff that year. In 1984 the song "Reggae Nights" was nominated for a Grammy, "Reggae Nights" was one of the biggest selling singles in the history of France today. I then continued to write several songs on his next album titled "Cliff Hanger". In 1985 "Cliff Hanger" was nominated for a Grammy and won. 

I suppose my biggest performance that year was on the 4th of July at the Lincoln Memorial together with the Beach Boys and Julio Iglesias. I'm not going to list all the names of my recordings and other work here. If you want to see them all, then just click on the button that says "My Work". Thanks. 

In between times of being on the road I would take courses on business law at the nearest collage, this I enjoyed a great deal. I always felt it was important to learn as much as you can about the business you're in. 

The entire music industry was aware of troubles in the world, especially the hunger of the poor and the misery of drug abuse, and I'm proud to have played some small part in helping to fight these twin evils. In 1985 I was asked by Quincy Jones to take part in the "We Are The World" recording Mike wrote with Lionel Richie. The single was recorded in one night with more than forty of our friends in the music business contributing to this, including most of my family, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick, Bruce Springsteen and many, many more. The record spent over a decade as the best-selling single ever and raised millions for the people suffering the famine in Africa. I've always been a supporter of anti-drug campaigns, I joined forces with Whitney Houston, David Hasselhoff, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the First Lady to record the song "Stop The Madness". Nancy Reagan later asked me to become the spokesperson for her campaign "Just Say No", which was a program designated to prevent children under the age of ten from starting to take drugs. This kept me quite busy for years travelling throughout the world visiting different Ambassadors as well as elementary schools in the most drug infested areas. 

As a side project, I recorded "Oops, Oh No". That one was released again five years later. In '88, I teamed up with the British producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman for the next album. About Playboy? All I'm going to say about my appearance in Playboy magazine is that is was the best-selling issue ever in the history of the publication. 

1989 was a year of travels for me, with my first international tour, which covered North and South America, Europe and the fringes of Asia in Turkey. It was also a year of marriage, not by choice. Then on to Germany for the recording of "Bad Girl". The European traveling continued into the following year, as I continued to work with Bob Hope to support the troops throughout the years. While in Italy for the San Remo Music Festival I was honoured to be named one of the best dressed women in the world. I love style and great fashion, which is why I've planned my Fashion Store right here on La Toya Jackson Direct. Then in the spring of 1992 I kicked off my Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show in Paris. That was an extravaganza in every sense of the word, and non … je ne regrette rien! 

In 1993 I found myself spending a little more time in the states, after spending so much time in Paris and London where I had homes, my choice was Manhattan and I bought a home there as well as Las Vegas. 

My autobiography was out and it was changes, changes, all the way. My own fitness video, walking the catwalk in Paris, recording a classic Motown dance collection in Scandinavia, and by '97 I was a single woman again. 

All the more recent appearances and recordings are listed in the My Work section of this website, but I want to bring you right up to date. Last year I established an entertainment company called JA-TAIL Enterprises, which stands for "Just Another-Timely Adventure In Life." You better believe it, because I believe that everything that happens in life happens for a reason and that it happens right on time. My plans are to grow this company as one of the biggest film and record companies in the business. I've written a television comedy called "Roommates", then there's "Groupies" which is a drama, as well as three other romantic comedies and comedy dramas, "Trials of Life", "Opposite Attracts" and "Spongie Kragan". So all of my business time during this year will be working on growing this company. I'll keep you up to date with the development of "Groupies" and "Trials of Life" after the new album's been released. 

The next chapter of My Story has only just begun! 

With love, 
La Toya