The Jackson 5 Unity Tour

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Four of the Jackson brothers — Marlon (pictured from left), Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine — plan on hitting 27 cities this summer on their “Unity Tour 2012.” The trek will kick off June 18th in Louisville, Ky., and wrap up July 29 in Snoqualmie, Wash., reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

The tour will mark the first time the brothers have toured together since their 1984 famed “Victory Tour,” which included Michael and youngest brother, Randy.

The brothers, who were formally known as the Jackson 5 when Michael was onboard, were a musical R&B force to be reckoned with: They were one of the first Black teen idols to appeal to both Black and White audiences equally. The group cranked out hit after hit during a heyday that lasted more than three decades, starting in the mid-sixties. The Jackson 5 also launche solo careers for Jermaine and Michael.

While Jermaine’s musical attempt at going it alone fizzled fast, Michael’s career, on the other hand, took off into the stratosphere: Michael’s “Thriller” album was released in 1982, becoming the most-successful album ever in the United States. To date, “Thriller” stands as the world’s best-selling album of all time. Sadly, Michael passed away in June 2009, after his cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered lethal levels of the powerful anesthetic propofol. Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and is currently serving time.

The Jackson brothers have never formally broken up as a group and have remained relatively dormant as far as performing over the years. The brothers displayed their passionate desire to perform on stage again on their defunct A&E reality show “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.”

Now that the opportunity has presented itself again, the Jacksons plan on giving their audiences some of their greatest Jackson 5 hits, as well as doing a tribute to Michael.

“There’s nothing like having all the brothers on stage at the same time,” Jackie Jackson said in a statement. “This will be exciting for our fans around the world — and I know at each concert, MJ’s spirit will be in the house with us.”

Information about the tour can be found on The Jackson’s website. The Unity Tour 2012 dates are as follows:

6/18 Louisville, Ky.; Palace Theatre

6/19 Cincinnati; PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

6/20 Rama, Canada; Casino Rama

6/22 Merrillville, Ind.; Star Plaza Theatre

6/23 Detroit; Fox Theatre

6/24 Kettering, Ohio; Fraze Pavilion

6/26 Cleveland; Jacob’s Pavilion

6/28 New York; Apollo

6/29 Atlantic City, N.J.; Borgata

6/30 Englewood, N.J.; Bergen PAC

7/1 Baltimore; Lyric Opera House