Monthly Archives: March 2022

3/18/23: We’re wishing a #Happy90thBirthday to The Original 5th Dimension’s “Man with the Golden Ears,” Mr. Bones Howe. LaMonte McLemore shares, “Here’s to our Grammy-winning mega-producer! As The 5th’s founder, I’d always tell Bones these words: ‘Keep doin’ what you’re doin’!’ He’d always call me ‘Mac’ and I always knew he was humbly appreciative about my seal of approval, ‘visionary to visionary!’” Florence LaRue notes, “Bones would bring us tunes, really clever ones we’d never consider. We were thinking more Motown, he was bringing us Pop-Soul that would eventually make history.” Marilyn McCoo comments emotionally, “When I went back to the studio to hear what Bones did with the Independence Medley from our PORTRAIT album: ‘The Declaration,’ ‘A Change is Gonna Come,” and ‘People Gotta be Free’…I was astounded!” Marilyn and Billy (Davis, Jr.) told FOREVER 5th DIMENSION with a cute chuckle, “Bones always told us to keep it simple in our solos….keep it simple!” Bones himself concurred, “They were such powerhouses, reigning it in made for spectacular recorded performances–Billy was like a horse-power engine under the hood, Marilyn’s plaintive quality was tear-jerking.” When you’d see “Production & Sound by Bones Howe” on one of The 5th Dimension’s latest albums, you’d get a thrill and a chill—yes, you could expect some unique, “patent leather perfect” Champagne Soul!

It was Bones’ genius that put together “Aquarius” with “Let the Sunshine In” from Broadway’s HAIR…it became a Platinum mash-up for the generations and has found new popularity as portrayed by The 5th Dimension, circa ’69 in the Oscar-nominated docu-film “Summer of Soul.” All the stars of The Original 5th Dimension, and myself as the group’s biographer and someone mentored by Bones, concur that he was ever the most assuring and mellow gentleman whose creative finesse helped to unite diverse people, the world over. Please join us in wishing “Mr. Bones” special blessings on the occasion of his milestone 90th birthday. ~~Robert-Allan Arno, FOREVER 5th DIMENSION 

Bonus Fact as told to FOREVER 5th DIMENSION: Do you know some of Bones’ personal favorites by The 5th Dimension? “Summer’s Daughter” and “The Worst that Could Happen” from the MAGIC GARDEN album, “Sweet Blindness,” “Workin’ on a Groovy Thing,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Puppet Man,” “Never My Love,” “Open Your Window”

(Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-23, intellectual property, all rights reserved.)