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 more information on The 5th Dimension, visit forever5thdimension.com, 5thdimensionlive.com, or follow on: YouTube # # # |
You can also view the official Press Release at this link: https://mailchi.mp/2911/5th-dimension-lamonte-mclemore-dead-at-90
FOREVER 5TH DIMENSION 
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