Celebrating our 18th Year! A TRIBUTE TO THE MULTI-GRAMMY WINNING LEGENDARY STARS of THE ORIGINAL 5TH DIMENSION, Curated by Biographer, Robert-Allan Arno ~~ History & Current Events, Exclusive Quotes & Interviews, Rare Photo Collection! Recommended by McCoo/Davis, LaRue & Remembering LaMonte McLemore
The Celebration of Life for LaMonte McLemore will be a private gathering.
Those wishing to honor LaMonte’s legacy may consider a donation in his name to the America to Africa Higher Education Foundation (AAHEF) — where he served as a member of the Board of Directors — reflecting his enduring commitment to education and global unity: www.americatoafricahighereducationfoundation.com
(The Official Celebration of Life video, titled “The Story of LaMonte McLemore” will be shared here at FOREVER 5th DIMENSION, next week.)
My appreciation, Marilyn & Billy for sharing exclusively with FOREVER 5th DIMENSION, your homage to LaMonte that is equal parts heartfelt, historic and charming… —Robert-Allan Arno
In 1965, five young African American singers came together to form an obscure vocal group. We called ourselves The Versatiles. Once we created our sound, the people around us were convinced the name was too square, too vanilla. Ron Townson, along with his wife Bobette, suggested a new name: The 5th Dimension.
And The Original 5th Dimension, we became. The unknown story behind the gold records, the platinum records, the Grammys, the television specials and shows, amazing fans at the thousands of concerts—the laughter and tears is best seen through the photographic lens of the man who brought us all together: LaMonte McLemore, who left this life on Tuesday, February 3rd.
Ron, LaMonte, and Billy all knew each other from St. Louis. Florence was from Pennsylvania, and Marilyn grew up in California. We all had solo dreams. Somehow, with LaMonte’s incredible heart, charm, goodness, and humility, he convinced us to put those dreams on hold for ten years—a full decade—and make beautiful music together.
Every time you hear a 5th Dimension harmony, every time you hear an Original 5th Dimension melody, pause and give thanks for our beloved friend. Without his grace, the egos of everyone else might have kept that dream from ever coming true.
Our hearts are broken. We love LaMonte and his wonderful wife, Mieko, so deeply. They are both rare and truly good human beings.
LaMonte would be the first to tell you he may not have been our group’s strongest lead singer—many have said that honor belongs to Billy—but he was a genius of strength in art, creativity, energy, friendship, kindness, and love.
Many years ago, we recorded a song that feels prophetic today as we lift LaMonte to God, with Whom we know he will be for eternity. The song is called “It’ll Never Be the Same Again.” That is the truth—and it hurts deeply because it is so true.
Thank you, LaMonte, for the miracle of The 5h Dimension and for the music that will live on forever. You gave us a priceless gift: making music, history, and memories that will never fade.
We love you. God bless you and your beautiful family, always.
It is with profound sadness that I present this press release we have created to honor LaMonte McLemore‘s legacy. As his biographer, it was the blessing of a lifetime to work with his genius, as his close friend and someone he mentored, LaMonte’s compassion for others, artistic passion, gentle warmth juxtaposed with endearing humor, and impeccable intuition are with me forever. “Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” —Robert-Allan Arno
Singer helped define an era of pop-soul; his camera chronicled decades of women of color and music icons
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 4, 2026) — LaMonte McLemore, a founding member of The 5th Dimension and a longtime celebrity and sports photographer whose images appeared in publications including Jet magazine, died Tuesday morning, Feb. 3, at his home in Las Vegas surrounded by his wife of 30 years and family. He was 90. LaMonte died from natural causes following a stroke suffered several years ago.
With The 5th Dimension, McLemore helped bring a polished, genre-blending sound to American pop and soul in the late 1960s and early 1970s, scoring era-defining hits including “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.” The group won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year twice—first for “Up, Up and Away” (1968) and again for “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” (1970). Both recordings were later inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame (“Up-Up and Away,” 2003; “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” 2004).
The “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” medley topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks in the spring of 1969, becoming one of the signature recordings of its generation. Other mega-hits included the Number 1, “Wedding Bell Blues,” and the iconic “Stoned Soul Picnic,” amid seven Gold albums and six Platinum RIAA-certified singles. In 1991, The Original 5th Dimension received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Born Sept. 17, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, McLemore served in the United States Navy, where he trained and worked as an aerial photographer—an early chapter in what became a lifelong parallel career behind the lens. He later pursued professional baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system, one of the first African Americans to participate, before settling in Southern California and turning his attention to music and photography full time.
McLemore co-founded The 5th Dimension in Los Angeles, joining Billy Davis Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, and Ron Townson. Known for his warm bass vocals and easygoing presence, he helped anchor the group’s sophisticated harmonies and modern pop sensibility, which broadened the palette of soul and R&B on mainstream radio. They appeared on major television variety shows of the era and toured internationally, including a 1973 State Department cultural tour that brought American pop music behind the Iron Curtain.
Outside the recording studio, McLemore built a distinguished reputation as a photographer, with work spanning entertainment, sports, and editorial portraiture. His images captured many of the defining figures of 20th-century popular culture, and he contributed photography to Jet magazine over the course of multiple decades.
McLemore and The 5th Dimension also reached new audiences in recent years. Their musical performances were featured in Questlove’s Oscar-winning documentary ‘Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),’ which revisited the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and its enduring musical impact.
In 2014, he co-authored with Robert-Allan Arno the autobiography ‘From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension: A Life Fulfilled in Baseball, Photography, and Music,’ reflecting on a career that moved effortlessly between the stage and the camera.
Statements
“All of us who knew and loved him will definitely miss his energy and wonderful sense of humor.”– Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.
“Proverbs 17:22 states that “A joyful heart is good medicine…” Well, Lamonte really knew my prescription! His cheerfulness and laughter often brought strength and refreshment to me in difficult times. We were more like brother and sister than singing partners. I didn’t realize the depth of my love for Lamonte until he was no longer here. His absence has shown me the magnitude of what he meant to me and that love will stay in my heart forever,” said Florence LaRue.
“As a childhood friend to me from St. Louis, Mo., he will certainly be missed,” shared bandmate Billy Davis Jr.
“Lamonte loved music and was always so generous, making his photography studio available to us in our early years before the hits started,” said Marilyn McCoo.
Life Motto “All in all, we are only in this world to help one another. If I can make you smile, if I can see the greatness in others and help propel them to excellence, I wake up each day a happy man,” McLemore previously expressed.
Survivors
McLemore is survived by his wife, Mieko McLemore, his daughter Ciara, son Darin, sister Joan, and three grandchildren.
Services
A memorial service and celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
For February 4, 2026: What better way to celebrate the birthday of our “Delightful Diva,” Ms. FlorenceLaRue than with a delivery of radiant flowers in the form of a listening party spotlighting her best loved recorded solos. Join us at FOREVER 5th DIMENSION with these select 10 “Florence’s Greatest Hits” and rarities, tunes by Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro, Bacharach/David, Stevie Wonder, and more:
Happy Birthday Blessings to a cherished personal friend of decades and one of the true sweethearts of the Rock n’ Soul era. With Love from Robert & the Fans
Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a Production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., intellectual property, copyright 2018-2026, all rights reserved.
January 29th is a sentimental day among myriad fans of The 5th Dimension. As we celebrate the birthday of the late great Ron “Sweets” Townson, we instantly remember his dignity, operatic overtones, his robust presence–lovable, sometimes comedic (think the group’s appearance on the Flip Wilson Show!) and certainly prideful. Sorely missed among The Original 5th Dimension’s members–Florence, LaMonte and Marilyn & Billy–each have special remembrances of Ron. For that and more we refer you to FOREVER 5th DIMENSION’s comprehensive tribute to Ron at this link: https://forever5thdimension.com/2014/01/
FILE–Memebrs of the pop group, The 5th Dimension, pose in this 1973 file photo. Shown left to right, are: Billy Davis, Florence LaRue, Ron Townson, Marilyn McCoo, and Lamonte McLemore. Townson, the centerpiece singer for the Grammy-winning group, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001, of renal failure at his home in Las Vegas. Townson was 68. (AP Photo/File)
Personally, I’ll never forget sitting with Ron for over 2 hours along with Florence, Billy and LaMonte (Marilyn had a previous appointment), as I (with special fan Susan Aglio) interviewed these thoughtful artists, mellow in the afternoon, coming off the exhilaration of the previous evening’s premier of The Original 5th Dimension reunion tour, 1990. Ron, in particular, expressed deep satisfaction with the quintet’s trailblazing place in history and talked specifically about his solos, “Sailboat Song” and “MacArthur Park,” the latter which brought down the show, that glorious night before.
In honoring his birthday in 2026, let’s savor 3 of Ron’s most beloved tunes in the pantheon of his fan-favorite solos:
Ron “Sweets” Townson, forever in the hearts of colleagues, fans and the American Pop & Soul golden era. —Robert-Allan Arno, Biographer, The Original 5th Dimension
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-2026, intellectual property, all rights reserved
from *Save the Country, written by Laura Nyro, recorded by The 5th Dimension
FOREVER 5th DIMENSION and The Original 5th Dimension’s cherished stars, Marilyn & Billy, Florence and LaMonte–each of whom I’ve just communicated with–honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and his tenants of Equality, Justice, Unity and Service.
With Respect on Dr. Martin Luther King Day, 2026,
Robert-Allan Arno
Manager Jason Winters, commented eloquently on our post as follows:
“Thank you, Sir Robert. On this blessed celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, we are reminded of Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr and The Original 5th Dimension’s excellence. Amazing. Powerful. Truth. Genius.”
*The 5th Dimension sing “Save the Country,” here:
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-2026, intellectual property, all rights reserved
Happy New Year 2026 and thank you to special worldwide fans and our precious stars for making FOREVER 5th DIMENSION at www.forever5thdimension.com a global go-to blog-zine, for 18 years! Here is the iconic photo placard representing the reunion tour of The Original 5th Dimension (Marilyn, Billy, Florence, Ron and LaMonte)…it spectacularly ushered in the new year of 1991 in Atlantic City.
Personally, being there in the front row as a guest of the late, great Steve Rosenblum of Sterling/Winters Management, was a thrill of a lifetime. When the announcer (who was none other than Sir Jason Winters) proclaimed, “Please welcome for the first time in 15 years…The Original 5th Dimension,” the sold-out crowd blew the roof off the place…and then our stars entered with grateful tears in their eyes, looking and sounding as perfect as ever! —Robert-Allan Arno
Photo: The Arno 5th Legacy Collection. Forever 5th Dimension by Arno a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-2026, intellectual property, all rights reserved
It’s that festive time of year where, for your listening pleasure, we proudly present our FOREVER 5th DIMENSION Top 10 playlist along with an array of exclusive quotes, as we bid you a “Merry 5th-mas!”:
–Here’s our FOREVER 5th DIMENSION production of Marilyn McCoo & BillyDavis, Jr.‘s playfully funky “Jingle Bells.” LaMonte McLemore has stated both in his memoir and exclusively to FOREVER 5th, “One of my biggest regrets was that The 5th Dimension never recorded a Christmas album or even one holiday tune.” Producer Bones Howe shared with me, “Perhaps it was an oversight, but the group was so busy on the road and on TV, that when I got them in the studio, the focus was on getting hits.” In this regard, FOREVER tagged “Jingle Bells” with “Joy to the World”…it’s not the Christmas staple but the 3 Dog Night version, from The 5th’s second network TV special, and fits the holiday mood. Join the “jingle bell joy” here: https://youtu.be/R1DHctms7MI?si=JuBz183ei04AxlV2
–Marilyn & Billy deliver a poignant “Silent Night” as part of their appearance on “The Waltons Homecoming.” Sing along with them here:https://youtu.be/gBZUhZl5svk
–Billy & Marilyn featuring Soldiers for the Second Coming bring a swingin’ “It Wouldn’t Be Christmas” as they remind us about “the reason for the season,” at this link. And we thank our friends at Rewound Radio, Metromedia Radio, and Boss-Boss Radio, where FOREVER 5th assisted in getting the tune radio airplay: https://youtu.be/kzAzRNaheYA?si=_P1GzYJpnImoFi7B
—Florence LaRue released a song which holds great meaning to her, the new holiday standard, “Grownup Christmas List” on limited edition CD in the 90’s. Here she passionately delivers it live on West Coast Praze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cj1g-RkVks
–Here’s Florence and The 5th Dimension with an acapella “Winter Wonderland.” Cleverly recorded during the pandemic, it provided much needed uplift and hope to fans: https://youtu.be/j7kY9Tot6eU?si=Lt2IqwYXwPPNeq8c
–Marilyn shared with FOREVER 5th DIMENSION: “This performance of ‘Sweet Little Jesus Boy’ with a grand choir in Washington, DC was a cherished moment.” Watch here: https://youtu.be/S9xNbCT0Cyc
–Marilyn & Bily were thrilled to perform with Jazz legend Mel Torme on his PBS special. With a laugh, Marilyn shared exclusively with FOREVER 5th, “Billy and I wanted to be perfect for Mel and show him what these former members of The 5th Dimension could do with our harmonies!” Billy added, “We practiced at home at the piano beforehand, and we showed him…he loved us…and we loved him!”:
—Dick Clark presents Marilyn & Billy’s soulful Christmas Medley from ’78:
FOREVER 5th DIMENSION, now in our 18th year, extendsChristmas Cheer, New Year Blessings and a whole lotta love to our favorite stars, Marilyn & Billy, Florence, and LaMonte, and remembering the beloved RonTownson. And to loyal fans & golden friends the world over, we truly appreciate you.
—Robert-Allan Arno
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd, copyright 2008-2025, intellectual property, all rights reserved.
At this heartwarming holiday time of year, may I present the release of my new Pop-Jazz CD*…and ALL its proceeds go to the America to Africa Higher Education Foundation (AAHEF)…
*COOL CROONIN’ by Robert-Allan Arno, featuring 10 tunes including “Do Nothin’ till You Hear from Me,” “Rio de Janeiro Blue,” “The Nearness of You,” “Summertime,” “Skylark,” “What a Wonderful World,” “Nuit et Jour (Night and Day),” “Where or When” (Dedicated to The Original 5th Dimension), and just in time for Christmas, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” more.
The cost is $25.00, all CDs personally inscribed, available at this easy Stripe link:
7-time Grammy winners Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. say, “Robert-Allan is adventurous, taking notes where he wants them to go, he’s free where he places his feelings, making the listener feel it, too. Makes us think of some of the great legends —Herb Jeffries, Louis Armstrong in some places. Wonderful jazz inflections. A beautiful deep voice which catches the ear.”
Again, the cost is $25.00, and 100% of the profit goes to AAHEF. Available at this Stripe link:
LaMonte McLemore adds, “Robert sings with a whole lotta Soul. Mieko and I love to listen to COOL CROONIN’ in our home, ‘Rio de Janeiro Blue” is one of our favorites!”
“From my living room to yours, I’m so pleased to share these ‘favorite to sing with a jazz trio’ 10 tunes, with all proceeds going to a very special cross-cultural foundation.” —Robert-Allan Arno
Our good friends at RewoundRadio.com, the #1 Internet Oldies Station are always so kind to the legacies of our favorite artists of the Rock/Pop/Soul era including The 5th Dimension and #MarilynBilly...we thank them…
*
*Vote Now! For as few as one song… or as many as ten!
Vote for your all-time favorite songs from the list of over 32,000 choices!
Rank them in order, listing your top song at #1.
Vote just once please!
Duplicate voters and attempts to “stuff the box” to favor a particular song or act will be disqualified.
The Top 77 will be counted down on Rewound Radio December 26th
Then, the Top 77 plus hundreds of additional songs that got at least one vote will be featured all Holiday Week on Rewound Radio!
FOREVER 5TH DIMENSION 
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