Entertainment

The Jacksons to headline Guilfest this summer

They will top the bill at the festival in Surrey in July.

Guilfest will take place in Guildford, Surrey, in July
Guilfest will take place in Guildford, Surrey, in July (Jane Barlow/PA)

American band The Jacksons are returning to the UK this summer to headline a music festival.

The brothers are top billing at Guilfest in Guildford, Surrey, which sold out last year when it returned for the first time in a decade.

Organiser Tony Scott said: “It is an absolute privilege to have the legendary Jacksons headlining Saturday’s performances on the main stage and we are also thrilled to confirm Razorlight will headline on Sunday.”

Guilfest was one of the most popular smaller festivals and ran for more than 20 years before taking a break from 2014.

In 2018, The Jacksons celebrated 50 years as one of the most successful groups in music history.

Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, five brothers from Gary, Indiana, known originally as The Jackson 5 and later The Jacksons, rose to fame for their combination of musical talent and spectacular choreography.

They earned the status of pop royalty in the music world, providing the launchpad for what would become Michael Jackson’s legendary solo career.

The group found international success at Motown in 1969, with their first single I Want You Back.

Over the years the group has reduced following the death of Michael in 2009 and Tito last September, but brothers Jackie and Marlon still perform together and have been joined by Tito’s son Taryll Jackson in the past.