Author: Fred Colby

LaToya hires Jack Gordon as her new manager. She signs a new recording contract with RCA Records and starts recording a new album with produced by the European trio Stock Aitken Waterman.

“(Ain’t Nobody Loves You) Like I Do” is the first single taken from her fifth album “La Toya”. The single is released throughout Europe, excluding the United Kingdom. LaToya shoots a music video for the song. The B-side of the single, “(Tell Me) She Means Nothing To You At All”, is released as its own single in France. The 12″ singles include a longer version of the song.

March 17 : Hazel gives birth to Jermaine’s son, Jaimy Jackson.

May 19 : LaToya attends the Premiere of “Beverly Hills Cop II” at Mann’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles.

May 29 : On her 31st birthday, LaToya flies to Japan with her new manager Jack Gordon. Later they go to Germany.

July 1 : LaToya is on a promotional tour in Helsinki.

August 20 : Jackie & Enid are officicially divorced. Enid has custody of Siggy & Brandi.

September 6 : Michael shoots the “The Way You Make Me Feel” short film in Los Angeles directed by Joe Pytka, choreographed by Vincent Paterson and featuring Tatiana Thumbtzen & Latoya!

September 12+13+14 : LaToya attends Michael’s first solo concert at the Korakuen stadium  in Tokyo, Japan with Jack Gordon and Katherine.

October : Hazel files for divorce and Jermaine introduces Margaret to the family.

October 22 : LaToya is on a promotional tour in Munich, Germany. She performs her new single “(Ain’t Nobody Loves You) Like I Do” on German TV show.

January : “Imagination” is the fourth studio album by La Toya. The album is released on by Private-I Records (an extension of Epic Records). Private-I Records goes bankrupt shortly after the album’s release. Because of the record company’s financial problems, the promotion is poor and it fails to chart. Three singles are released, the first being “Baby Sister”, which was released in Japan, followed by “He’s a Pretender” and a remix of the title track.

January 27 :  LaToya at the the American Music Awards ceremony. Michael, Katherine, Janet, Rebbie & Janet also attend the ceremony. Rebbie, Janet & LaToya present awards. For the show’s conclusion, Michael joins many celebrities including Diana Ross, Janet & LaToya to sing “We Are The World”.

September 11 : Michael attends Jermaine’s concert in Los Angeles with Janet & LaToya. He is disguised as “Uncle Willy”.

December 31 : Janet performs “Control” on New Years Simulcast 1986-87 from Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York, London. She is live from Tokyo. LaToya performs on the same show her duet “Yes I’m Ready” with Jed. Janet & LaToya are briefly interviewed together on the show.

Michael hosts a family day at Hayvenhurst to open the « Memory Room » with family pictures and history.

Janet, Latoya & Rebbie attend the Princess Grace Foundation Gala + a party hosted by Essence Magazine in honour of her mother Katherine Jackson.

Michael, Katherine & LaToya visits the set of US prime time soap opera “Dynasty” and meet the actress Joan Collins.

January 28 : Janet attends the American Music Awards with James & LaToya. She and LaToya presents an award to Kenny Rogers. Rebbie also attends and she presents an award. Two hours after the ceremony, Michael and 44 other artists (including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, LaToya, Jackie, Marlon & Randy) gather secretly for 10 hours at the A&M Recording Studios in L.A to record “We Are The World”.

January 30 : Janet’s lawyer files a petition in court to nullify her mariage to James. Janet leaves James and she goes back to Hayvenhurst. Soon later, she decides to leave Fame.

February 13 : Latoya guest stars as herself in an episode of “The Fall Guy” where she performs her single “Hot Potato”.

May 10 : La Toya gives an interview on South Florida TV to promote her make up line.

May 11 : LaToya attends a beauty seminar in South Florida to promote her make up line.

June : La Toya start recording sessions for her new album.

October 27 : La Toya performs “Baby Sister” during the 16th annual World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan aka the Yamaha Music Festiva . “Baby Sister is the 1st single from LaToya’s ‘s 4th studio album “Imagination” released in 1986. Janet supports LaToya by performing background vocals on her song during the performance. Michael also supports LaToya through a video taped with her earlier this month at Hayvenhurst.

November 22  : Rebbie gives birth to her son named Austin Brown (“Auggie”).

Janet & Latoya make a photoshoot together at Hayvenhurst.

January 16 : Michael, Janet & LaToya attend the American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles with Brooke Schields and Emmanuel Lewis.

February : Janet & LaToya are on the cover of Right On! magazine.

February 7 : Michael goes to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Natural History to receive awards from CBS & The Guineess Book Of World Records to celebrates Thriller as the largest-selling album of all time (25 millions at the time) Among the many guest are Michael’s date for the evening Brooke Schields, & the whole Jackson family (including LaToya, Rebbie & Janet).

February 26 : Katherine, LaToya, Janet & Michael attend the premiere of Pepsi’s Jacksons commercial at a black-tie event for 1000 bottlers at New York City ’s Lincoln Center.

February 28 : In the company of Brooke Schields & Emmanuel Lewis, Michael attends the Grammy Awards ceremony broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium of Los Angeles. He wins an unprecedented 8 awards. On stage he shares his triumph with producer Quincy Jones and invites Janet, LaToya & Rebbie to joins him.

During the night, a businessman called Jack Gordon introduces himself to the family. Soon after, Gordon shows interet to LaToya and to get closer to her je befriends Joe & Katherine.

March 5 : Latoya attends the 2nd Annual American Video Awards Nominees Announcement at Kathy Gallagher’s Restaurant in Los Angeles.

April 5 : LaToya attends the 2nd Annual American Video Awards.

April 24 : LaToya is a guest on Good Morning America with Barbara Walters.

May 05 : Michael hosts a surprise party to honour Katherine at the Bistro Garden in Beverly Hills. All the family attends the dinner including Katherine’s father Prince Scruse. Pianist Floyd Cramer flies from Nashville to sing for Katherine. Michael, accompanied by country star Floyd Cramer sings to Katherine the Kris Kristofferson country song “For the Good Times” and offers her a Rolls Royce! The whole event is videotaped. In her 1990 memoirs, Katherine wrote : “When we walked into one of the restaurant’s private rooms, I was astonished to see the whole family there — even my father, whom the children had secretly flown in from Indiana. ‘Surprise!’ they shouted, as tears streamed down my face. The children had even hired Floyd Cramer, one of my favorite Country Western artists (who came straight from Nashville), to play the music.”

May 24 : LaToya is a guest on American Bandstand’s Dance Contest”.

May 28 : Janet & LaToya appear on the cover of Jet magazine.

June 30 : LaToya and Howard Hewett sing “Heart Don’t Lie.” LaToya  sings “Bet’cha Gonna Need My Lovin’ on American Bandstand.

July : LaToya’s 3rd studio album titled “Heart Don’t Lie” is released by Epic Records.

August 25 : LaToya performs “Heart Don’t Lie” on Solid Gold.

September 7 : While the Jackson family is on tour, Janet & her boyfriend James DeBarge secretly elope in Grand Rapids (Michigan). Janet only reveals her secret marriage to LaToya but soon the press reveals the wedding. James moves into Hayvenhurst in Janet’s bedroom.

September 8 : LaToya performs “Hot Potato” on Solid Gold.

December 7+8+9 : The Jacksons play their last Victory Tour concerts at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles . During the last song of the last concert, Janet, LaToya & Rebbie join the group on stage with all the nieces and nephews to dance all together.

February 04 : LaToya, Janet and Joe Jackson attend the R&B Awards in Los Angeles.

March 20 : Michael & LaToya attend the “Dreamgirls” opening night after party at the Shubert theater in Century City.

July 1 : Latoya and Michael attend the Black Radio Exclusive Convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

September 19 : The single “P.Y.T (Pretty Young Things)” is released by Epic and it features Janet & Latoya doing background vocals. It will peak at #10 on Hot 100 Billboard. Michael does not shoot a video for this single.

November 30 : LaToya attends a press conference at New York’s Tavern On The Green to announce plans for the Victory Tour with the whole Jackson family.

December : At Hayvenhurst, Michael and LaToya are filmed talking and singing together. This private home movie is sold a few years later. In the video, we can hear Michael singing the song “Peter Pan” and he mentions working on songs “Buffalo Bill” and “Liberian Girl” for the upcoming Jacksons album.

February 6 : Enid gives birth to Brandi Jackson.

April 16 : LaToya, Randy and Janet attend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 35th Birthday Party on at On the Rox, The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood.

July 31 : LaToya, Jermaine & Rebbie Jackson attend a party hosted by ‘Right On!’ magazine in New York City.

August-November : Michael pays an architect to raze and rebuild Hatvenhurst. During the reconstruction, he moves into a condo that he owns with Katherine, Janet & LaToya on 410 Lindley Avenue in Encino. Joes stays in the property to watch out for thieves.

November 12 : Katherine files for divorce for the second time but she withdraws her demand later on.

December : Katherine, LaToya, Michael & Janet move back to Hayvenhurst now equipped with a second story to the bedrooms, upstairs a den and a gym, downstairs a game room and a thirty-two-seat movie theatre and off the entry hall, a trophy room.

January 30 : LaToya attends the American Music Awards where she presents an award to Michael.

January 31 : LaToya attends the 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

February 12 : LaToya performs “If You Feel The Funk” and “Night Time Lover” on Dutch TV show Musikladen.

May 8 : LaToya’s second album “My Special Love” is released by Polydor. The first single from the album is “Stay The Night”, a cover of the 1980 Billy Ocean single, and was moderately successful. The second and final single was “I Don’t Want You To Go”, previously recorded by Lani Hall, which had a limited release and failed to chart. The album also includes rare groove classic “Camp Kuchi Kaiai”, co-written with sister Janet who also contributes background vocals. Brother Randy produced two tracks on the album – their duet “Giving You Up” and the title track “My Special Love” which Randy later re-recorded with R&B star Betty Wright for her 1983 album Wright Back At You.

September 23 : Birth of Marlon Jackson Jr, third child of Marlon & Carol.

September 26 : Last concert of the Triumph Tour at the The Forum in Inglewood. The whole Jackson family attends the show.

October 10 : LaToya performs “Stay The Night” on the Soul Train Show.

February 4 : Randy is seriously injured in a car crash in Hollywood, California. Katherine, Michael, Janet & LaToya visit him at the hospital. He almost looses a leg but after 6 months and 7 operations, he finally manages to walk again.

February 27 : Michael boycotts the Grammy Awards because Off The Wall was not nominated for best album of the year. He watches the ceremony at home with Katherine, Janet & LaToya. He wins his first Grammy but vows that his next album won’t be ignored…

May 26 : LaToya’s debut single “If You Feel The Funk” is released  by Polydor.

June 24 : Latoya’s debut album titled “LaToya Jackson” is released by by Polydor. Janet is one of seven people credited with providing handclaps on LaToya’s track “If You Feel The Funk”. She also co-writes the song “Lovely Is She” with LaToya.

July 29 : LaToya, Michael, Rebbie, Randy and Jonathan Moffett pose for pictures with the cast of “Blackness” at The Cast at The Circle Theatre in Hollywood.

July 31 : Michael is on the cover of Jet magazine with LaToya.

August : “Night Time Lover” by LaToya Jackson is released on Polydor. The song was written, composed and produced by Michael who also sings the background vocals. It’s the second single from her first album titled “LaToya Jackson”.

September 3 : In recognition of their contribution to music , The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honour The Jacksons with a Star on Hollywood Boulevard’s “Walk Of Fame”. Michael, Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Randy attend the presentation with Joe & Katherine, Rebbie, LaToya, Janet and Joe’s mother Crystal Jackson. Michael is also presented a special plaque in “recognition of 4 Top ten singles from the album Off The Wall”. Later the Jackson family has dinner at Chasen’s restaurant in West Hollywood.

October 16 : Katherine, Randy & Janet attack Gina Sprague, Joe’s personal assistant at Joe Jackson Productions.

November : LaToya performs “Night Time Lover” on Sold Gold.

November 8 : LaToya performs “If You Feel the Funk” and “Are You Ready” on the Soul Train Show.

November 10 : LaToya performs “If You Feel The Funk” and “Night Time Lover” on Dutch TV show TopPop.

December 13 : LaToya performs “Night Time Lover” and “If You Feel The Funk” on American Bandstand.

July 1 : Mayor Tom Bradley declares “Jackson Day” in Los Angeles in honour of the group achievements. Some 300 guests attend a party in the City National Bank Vault in Beverly Hills including Katherine, LaToya & Janet.

August 16 : Michael is on the cover of Jet Magazine with an exclusive interview and a photoshoot that took place at Hayvenhurst with Katherine, Janet and LaToya.

December 18 + 19 : LaToya attends the Jacksons ‘s concerts at the Forum in Inglewood.

Early January : Michael & LaToya leave NYC and go back to Hayvenhurst.

March 10 : Michael, Tito, Jackie, Marlon, Randy, LaToya and Janet participate to the first Rock N Roll Sports Classic at the University of California in Irvine, close to Los Angeles. The show, inspired by the ABC program “The Battle of The Network Stars” (which pits television actors against each other), will be broadcast on May 3 on NBC. Hosted by Alex Karras and Ed McMahon, the events take place on the grounds of the University of California, Irvine, with the cheerleaders of the Dallas Cowboys. Michael participates in the 100-meter race and the swimming relay. Michael gives a short interview in which he explains that he is not a great athlete but that he enjoyed participating in these events.

June 16 : Birth of Autumn Jackson, second child of Jermaine & Hazel.

July 7 : LaToya & Janet make a photoshoot together.

July 16 : Dee Dee gives birth to Tito Jackson Jr (TJ).

October 25: LaToya attends the premiere & opening night party of  “The Wiz” at the Pitt’s Century Plaza Theater in Century City (Los Angeles) with Katherine, Joe, Janet & Michael & Diana Ross among others.