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Friends of Tito Jackson say that Baton Rouge was like 'home' to him
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BATON ROUGE - After the passing of legendary musician Tito Jackson, Baton Rouge blues icons Kenny Ray and Raful Neal looked back on the past three decades of friendship with the star.
Kenny Neal met Tito Jackson more than 30 years ago at a show in Detroit and they've been friends ever since, saying he'd visit Baton Rouge often. He even helped Jackson with his last album.
"He'd always come down here and visit you know, to feel normal and be himself," he said.
Neal says that Jackson grew up in the limelight as part of the Jackson 5 and never had the chance to be himself. Both Kenny Ray and Raful Neal played in 'The Neal Brothers Blues Band' with their siblings. They said they were happy Tito was able to be out his authentic self when he came to Baton Rouge.
"His personality was just a down-home, humble, real nice person. Not star-struck or thinking he's more than anybody else," he said.
According to Neal, Tito Jackson's favorite place in Baton Rouge was Tony's Seafood. He would always make sure to buy food to take back home.
"Every time he would come back down here he would buy a couple of alligators to take back with him," he said.
Tony's Seafood manager Darren Pizzolato says he met him once. Although he saw him in the store a few times, he didn't know it was Jackson. Until one day a customer brought it to his attention and he decided to walk up to him.
"He was lowkey, down to earth, softspoken. I remember when I was talking to him he was just real quiet. He said he was enjoying his time in Baton Rouge and had to load up on some good food before he left," Pizzolato said.
But alligator and music weren't his only love in life. Kenny Ray and Raful reflected on his passion for cars. Raful even built an engine for him.
"I filmed a whole video at my house when he drove up and saw that big engine sitting in that car. All painted up and stuff. He just couldn't believe it," he said.
"He was a Volkswagen guy. He probably had about six or seven of the Volkswagen vans," Kenny Neal said.
The Neal brothers say they will honor Tito Jackson's memory by always looking back on the good times they shared with him.
"I'm just gonna miss him sitting around, laughing, talking, having a good time and cruising around Baton Rouge," Kenny Neal said.
"We used to go to breakfast at IHOP every time he was here. He loved everything there," Raful said.
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