HOT GALLERY: The Jackson Clan Before They Were Stars!

The youngest of 10 (multitalented) children, Janet started singing and dancing as soon as she could walk. At 10 years old, she began acting in her family's TV show The Jacksons, which in turn helped pave the way for her to pursue a solo singing career. Jackson emerged from the shadow of the Jackson 5 with a string of hits by the time she was only 16 and is now a pop culture icon. Maybe not so unbelievable judging by how sassy she looks standing with her hands on her hips in 1977.

Number four of the Jackson clan, Jermaine Jackson also broke out of the Jackson 5 with a successful solo singing career. In 1980 he was nominated for the Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his album Let's Get Serious, and he had a number of hits over the next decade. More recently, Jermaine appeared in reality shows such as Celebrity Big Brother UK and Celebrity Wife Swap and is currently involved in several charity organizations that help raise money for orphaned children.

After discovering his oldest sons' musical talent, Joe formed a band called the Jackson Brothers, which eventually became the hugely popular the Jackson 5. Joe was thought by many, including his own children, to be too strict and domineering, but it was those traits that molded the Jacksons' dance routines that won competitions and eventually got them signed by Motown Records in 1968.

Katherine Jackson, the dedicated mother of the Jackson brood, was the one who discovered younger son Michael's musical talent when he was only 4 years old. Katherine told her husband Joseph, but he did not take her seriously until three years later, when Michael's other talents emerged while playing backing instruments for his three older brothers. In 1990, Katherine released an autobiography called My Family, which exposed her husband's adultery and physical abuse of their children. Now Katherine and Joseph have an estranged marriage but still make public appearances together for the press. She made news after "disappearing" for a week, which caused her grandkids to report her missing. A judge temporarily revoked her custody of Michael's three kids, Prince, Paris, and Blanket, and they now live with TJ Jackson.

The youngest of the Jackson brothers, Randy, or "Little Randy," was left behind while his older siblings toured. He spent his time mastering piano and didn't join the Jackson 5 until 1975 and at 16 cowrote their most successful single, "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)," with Michael. Randy gave his first interview since the death of his brother Michael on June 10, 2010.

The eldest of the Jackson 10, Rebbie became the second mother to her many younger siblings. At 18, she decided to wed her longtime love, Nathaniel Brown, but father Joseph felt the marriage would interfere with her future music career. He eventually relented, but refused to walk his eldest child down the aisle. At 24, Rebbie began singing and performing, even lending her vocals to artists such as Sonny Bono and the Emotions. More recently, Rebbie has been performing some of her hit singles and has even announced that she is recording a new album.

It was Tito's guitar plucking that first alerted father Joseph to the musical potential of his children. When Joseph built a group around Tito and brothers Jackie and Jermaine, Tito played bass and then later rhythm for the Jackson Brothers. In 1968, after signing with Motown Records, the Jackson Brothers became the Jackson 5 and Tito's natural baritone led or co-led many of the group's hits. In 2003, Tito pursued a solo career as a blues musician and continues to work with some of his siblings in the TV and music industry.

While a lesser-known member of the Jackson family, TJ Jackson, Tito's youngest son, has been thrust into the limelight in the wake of his uncle Michael's death. TJ was named co-guardian of Michael's children. Married with three children of his own, TJ has been described as a good father and role model for Paris Michael, Prince Michael, and Prince Michael II (Blanket). The Jackson family could use more of those.