'I will miss my dear friend Tito Jackson, says Wolverhampton businessman as tributes pour in for soul singer

The Jackson 5 star and older brother of pop-music icon Michael Jackson died aged 70 from a suspected heart attack while touring.

Wolverhampton entrepreneur Roy Bernard, a Jackson family friend, was among the first to be told of the singer's sudden death just three weeks after they last met up at a show in Henley-on-Thames.

Roy, of Tettenhall's The Mount hotel and restaurant in Mount Road, said: "I got a phone call from his brother Marlon at about 8am this morning. He told me that Tito had passed away.

"I expect all of them will be phoning me during the course of the day.

"They are a really genuine family. All the brothers have been to Wolverhampton to visit us. They've been to stay at my homes in France and in Lower Penn.

"Tito is a dear friend of mine and has been for about ten years. I actually saw him three weeks ago at a concert and we spoke. He looked fine and believe it or not he'd got his Wolverhampton shirt on."

"He was always asking after people he met and and wanting to make sure we're okay. He will be sadly missed."

"Among all the brothers he was the one who had no health problems. There's been all sorts said on the internet, but my understanding is that he was in Germany at the time, where they had been performing last week. He had a big heart attack."

A lifelong Jackson 5 fan, the 67-year-old first met Tito after purchasing a Michael Jackson photograph at a fans' memorabilia auction in Manchester following his death in 2009.

"The following week I had a phone call from one of the brothers saying Tito wanted to speak to me. At first I thought it was a prank. I could hardly believe it.

"I explained that I was a big Jacksons fan and had been since my school days and have been going to the concerts for years. We became good friends from then.

"He had a manager in England and this person was from Wolverhampton.

"Tito wanted to go somewhere less busy than London and his manager at the time booked him into The Mount and took him to Molineux. That's the truth about how he became a Wolves fan.

"He would ring regularly and ask about the team.

"We also took all four brothers to visit the youth facility The Way after they kept asking what they could do for Wolverhampton and this made the ITV national news. By doing that they did something good for the city's profile.

"They have been through a lot. To keep going despite everything they are strong people. My condolences to Tito's three sons who also perform and the family.

"I think people in Wolverhampton should be pleased that he touched the town."

Among others to pay tribute was mobile food trader Linda Bell, aged 61, of Spudley Street, who served up jacket potatoes to the soul music star at her Dudley Street pitch.

“It was a shock when I first met him, he ordered beans and cheese when he came to get a spud, it was a real honour to meet and serve him.

“I was gutted when I heard about it this morning. I met him a number of times and he was always very friendly.

“He loved the football team, that was his main passion but with that came a love for the city of course, he always spoke very fondly of the area," Linda said.

Tito also spent time visiting the Black Country Living Museum and the former Express & Star offices in Queen Street.

Express & Star digital sports editor said: "It was quite a surreal sight to see a member of the Jackson 5 walking into the Express and Star newsroom back in 2015.

"I've interviewed many famous people over the last 20 years, but there was definitely a special aura about Tito.

"His knowledge of Wolves was outstanding, there was a genuine passion about the football club as we talked about a wide-range of different sports, both in the UK and US.

"There was a kindness about him, a real warmth that was endearing.

"We met on three occasions over a few years and every time he remembered my name and previous interaction without prompt. A true gentleman - he will be missed."