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/
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:
From the STONED SOUL PICNIC album, here’s the phosphorescent “Sailboat Song”: https://youtu.be/aqbd_b10R2o?si=cwF98iwD9pt2NRMz
From LIVE!, here’s the cinematic approach to Laura Nyro‘s “Eli’s Coming”: https://youtu.be/CRi7JPf3Iko?si=rusIUS1aVDXPf6Uu
From INDIVIDUALLY & COLLECTIVELY, here’s the 50’s-tinged falsetto delivery of “Band of Gold”: https://youtu.be/EmcfrJ1DU20?si=9TMbzekua5N3_4J1
BONUS: From the SOUL & INSPIRATION re-issue, here’s the unvaulted tour-de-force, “(Where Do I Begin) Theme from Love Story”: https://youtu.be/yYkm1L_C3Gk?si=ah-D53tR2gv9Wq2y
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
FOREVER 5TH DIMENSION 
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