Joe Jackson died Wednesday at a Las Vegas hospital at the age of 89. Mr. Jackson launched the career of the Jackson family music dynasty, including superstar Michael Jackson, and once told China.org.cn he wanted to come to China.

"This man is and always will be an example of sheer willpower and dedication. He didn't choose the easiest path, he choose the path that was best for his family," Michael Jackson's son Prince said of his grandfather on Instagram after Mr. Jackson's death. "You taught me to take pride in the Jackson name and what it really means, you taught me dedication in the face of adversity and most of all, you showed me strength and fearlessness. There is and never will be someone like you."

It was reported that Jackson was in the last stages of terminal cancer. His son, singer Jermaine Jackson confirmed the news to China.org.cn and said, "It's sad because he is our hero and he's the reason why the Jackson 5, The Jacksons, Janet Jackson, and Michael Jackson became global superstars, it's because of my father's vision to see what we all could become. Joe is our hero."

Joe Jackson died just two days after the ninth anniversary of Michael Jackson's sudden death on June 25, 2009, which shocked and saddened the music industry and music lovers around the world.

China.org.cn met Joe Jackson in Las Vegas in 2014 where he expressed his willingness to visit China, "Over the years fans never cease to amaze me with their love and dedication to keeping my son's legacy alive. I will make it a point to come and visit Chinese fans in China."

Joseph Walter Jackson, born July 1928, married his wife Katherine Scruse in 1949 and had 10 children. He was hired as a full-time crane operator at Inland Steel, but also had a music dream and briefly formed a band called The Falcons where he played guitar. 

Later when he discovered his boys could sing, dance, and play instruments, he became their manager and helped the children perform as The Jackson 5 in nightclubs and theaters mainly in Gary, Indiana and Chicago. When they finally signed to Motown Records, Joe Jackson continued serving as manager and pushed them to stardom - the rest is history.

However, due to his strict discipline, teachings, rules, and demands, Jackson's children were once scared of him. However, Joe Jackson and many members of the family publicly denied there was any form of "abuse." Jackson's children made peace with the patriarch in his later years. 

"We are deeply saddened by Mr. Jackson's passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Katherine Jackson and the family. Joe was a strong man who acknowledged his own imperfections and heroically delivered his sons and daughters from the steel mills of Gary, Indiana to worldwide pop superstardom,"John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Michael Jackson Estate, said in a statement.

The statement also acknowledges Joe's contributions, "Mr. Jackson's contributions to the history of music are enormous. They were acknowledged by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 in a proclamation naming him the Best Entertainment Manager of All Time; he was inducted into Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2014 and his son Michael acknowledged him with a Joe Jackson Day at Neverland."

On Joe Jackson's official website, his publicist Angel Howansky published a post he wrote on June 19, "I have seen more sunsets than I have left to see. The sun rises when the time comes, and whether you like it or not, the sun sets when the time comes."

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