Many people wonder if Randy Jackson, the former American Idol judge and Name That Tune band leader, is related to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop and one of the most influential musicians of all time. They share the same surname and both have been successful in the music industry, but are they really family?
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Randy Jackson and Michael Jackson are not related. Although they share the same surname, it is a common name. Randy Jackson is a former member of The Jackson Five and the younger brother of Michael Jackson. However, there is another Randy Jackson who is an American guitarist and lead singer of the rock band Zebra.
The confusion: There are two Randy Jacksons in music.
The reason why many people think that Randy Jackson and Michael Jackson are related is because there are two different Randy Jacksons in music. One is Steven Randall “Randy” Jackson, who was born in 1961 and is the youngest member of the famous Jackson family. He joined his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael in The Jackson Five (later The Jacksons) in 1972 and also pursued a solo career as Randy and the Gypsys in the 1980s. He is also an older brother to Janet Jackson, who is the subject of a highly anticipated documentary series set to air on Lifetime and A&E.
The other is Randall Darius “Randy” Jackson, who was born in 1956 and is a musician, record producer, and television personality. He is best known for being a judge on American Idol from 2002 to 2013 and for being the band leader on Name That Tune since 2020. He has also worked with many artists such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen⁴. He has no blood relation or family connection to Michael Jackson or any of the Jacksons.
The truth: They have never even met each other.
According to People Magazine, Randy Jackson (the American Idol judge) and Michael Jackson have never even met each other in person. In 2009, after Michael’s death, Randy said: “I didn’t know him at all. I wish I had.” He also revealed that he was a fan of Michael’s music and that he admired his talent and legacy.
So, to sum up, Randy Jackson and Michael Jackson are not related. They are two different people with the same name who happen to be in the music industry. They have no blood relation or family connection whatsoever.
