#CoolCruise Sail the high seas with The 5th Dimension and other music legends for a cool Caribbean cruise, Jan. 27 thru Feb. 3, 2024! Book today at 866-3OLDIES! Less than 100 cabins left! Our Delightful Diva, Ms. Florence LaRue and The 5th (Patrice, Leonard, Sidney & Floyd) hope to see you for this special musical adventure! (More details below) –R-A A
A Forever 5th Dimension Exclusive by Robert-Allan Arno:
This past weekend in Las Vegas, LaMonte McLemore celebrated with his angelic wife Mieko and a few hundred closest friends, the dawning of his newest book to be released for Valentine’s Day ’24, an artful one titled “Black is Beautiful,” representing his photographic excellence for JET magazine’s trailblazing Beauty of the Week, featuring some of the loveliest women of our time. Cherished family and musical friends, colleagues from the publishing, modeling and media world, gathered and gave testimonial speeches or sang songs at a special event, for a special man, MC’ed by Harry Elston of the Friends of Distinction. The members of The Original 5th Dimension, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. and Florence LaRue brought extra excitement by their attendance as did Jayne Kennedy Overton. Love was truly in the air for our visionary, Mac! Enjoy some select event photos courtesy of LaMonte’s daughter, Ciara and the Arno/5th Legacy Collection. You can start pre-ordering the luxurious coffee table book “Black is Beautiful” on Amazon and other relevant sites.
Billy, Marilyn and Florence all gave charming recounts of precious “5th history” and how it was LaMonte who was the catalyst for it all…while MC Harry Elston looked on!
Sitting at the head table with my heroes & sheroes, Florence, Marilyn, Billy, and LaMonte and giving a testimonial speech in honor of “Mac” as his biographer plus repping the millions of worldwide fans of The 5th Dimension, saying the star’s names onstage as they are rightfully due and remembering Ron “Sweets” Townson, too…was a dream come true.
Underscoring LaMonte’s motto: “We are only in this world to help one another,” garnered knowing “Amen’s” from the crowd as I unveiled this wonderful artwork that I had commissioned for the festivities by gifted Nigerian artist Ephraim David Udoka, titled “LaMonte’s World.” It was met by an appreciative collective “Ahhh!”
At Forever 5th Dimension, as we begin our 16th year, we are always happy to take you to exclusive events like the unforgettable “Black is Beautiful” soiree and bring you more up-to-the-minute surprises as 2024 unfolds. –Robert-Allan Arno
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, intellectual property, all rights reserved, Photo Credits: Arno/5th Legacy Collection, Ciara McLemore, Cynthia Shelby, and artwork by Ephraim Udoka, copyright 2024, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd.
First, thank you to our good friends at Rewound Radio, the #1 oldies internet station. The 5th Dimension scored beautifully in their annual Top 77 of all-time, with “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” and “One Less Bell to Answer”…complete with special intros by Billy and Marilyn. Listen all holiday week through New Year’s Day at http://www.RewoundRadio.com
Did you know that in 1967 during this final week of December, according to our friends at The Wrecking Crew, the all-time favorite concept album of the members of The Original 5th Dimension and worldwide fans alike, “The Magic Garden” was issued? Break out a re-issue CD, a vintage album, or go to YouTube and re-live the entire song cycle…or savor special tunes like “Carpet Man,” “Paper Cup” (a personal fave of Michael Jackson, by the way), “Orange Air,” “The Girls’ Song,” or the quintessential “Worst that Could Happen.” And the “MG” theme was inspired by Jimmy Webb‘s girlfriend, as the lyric goes, “all over Susan”…
16,918 Views! As we enter a new year, our 16th of Forever 5th Dimension, I deeply thank our stars, Marilyn & Billy, Florence and LaMonte, their respective management, and fans the world over, not only from all throughout the United States but visitors from Brazil, Germany, England, Japan, Australia, Canada, Africa, and more. Yes, just in from WordPress, we’ve had a lovely crowd of 16,918 viewers at the blog in ’23! Look for 2024 surprises from each of our stars, including concert dates for “The First Couple of Pop n’ Soul,” Marilyn & Billy, Florence LaRue & The 5th Dimension, and much more (hint: Mac has a cool caper upcoming, too!) We’ll have the scoop on it all, right here!
In God’s Loving Kindness,
Robert-Allan Arno
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., intellectual property, all rights reserved.
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
Florence & The 5th Dimension (Patrice, Leonard, Sidney & Floyd) present this charming version of “Winter Wonderland,” a treat for the ears & eyes! Watch here: https://youtu.be/j7kY9Tot6eU
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: https://youtu.be/1fauCVAixwU
Florence warmly sings “My Grown-Up Christmas List” live on West Coast Praze:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cj1g-RkVks
Marilyn’s recording of “Oh Holy Night” is a fan favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXq_BErKL1Q
A powerful “Solid Gold” duet with Marilyn & Donna Summer, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WC7v4PlXU
Marilyn shared with us: “This performance of ‘Sweet Little Jesus Boy’ in Washington, DC was a cherished moment.” Watch here:
https://youtu.be/S9xNbCT0Cyc
Marilyn & Bily were thrilled to perform 2 tunes with Jazz great Mel Torme:
Jingle Bells: https://youtu.be/Z-c8QPROsJc
Sleigh Ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzg66UYG1ZE
Dick Clark presents Marilyn & Billy’s soulful Christmas Medley from ’78:
Christmas & New Year Blessings to our favorite stars, Marilyn & Billy, Florence, and LaMonte, remembering the beloved Ron, and to loyal fans & golden friends, the world over! —Robert-Allan Arno
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd, copyright 2008-2023, all rights reserved.
Joyful News! The Soldiers for the Second Coming ministry with Pastor Billy Davis, Jr. and Marilyn McCoo just signed with the Your Home TV network featured on Roku for an 8-episode season in 2024. Billy & Marilyn also have a new YouTube channel in conjunction with the ministry…enjoy their Christmas season perennial, “It Wouldn’t Be Christmas,” and be sure to subscribe!
On Friday Dec. 8, 8pm at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, California, usher in the holiday season with “Home for the Holidays” starring this festively impressive lineup: renowned R&B and Soul Grammy winner Peabo Bryson (If Ever You’re in My Arms Again; By the Time This Night Is Over); four-time Grammy-nominated songstress Oleta Adams (Get Here); our Forever 5th Dimension favorite prolific Pop/Soul group and 6-time Grammy winners, The 5th Dimension featuring Florence LaRue (Up, Up and Away; Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In); and Platinum-certified singer-songwriter and American Idol finalist Haley Reinhart (Lo-Fi Soul).
For tickets, go to this link:
https://tickets.cerritoscenter.com/7091
Pictured Above: Lovelies Patrice Morris and Florence LaRue in a Christmas mood!
Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-15, intellectual property with photos from the Arno 5th Legacy Collection, all rights reserved.
VOTE NOW! It’s a yearly holiday season tradition and moreover, we celebrate their 25th year! It’s time for you to vote in the #1 internet Oldies Station, Rewound Radio’s Top 77 of the year…the all-time top hits of the Rock n’ Soul Era!
Personally, we thank Program Director Allan Sniffen and Rewound for continually being so kind to the legacy of The 5th Dimension, the stars themselves, Marilyn & Billy, Florence, LaMonte and our beloved Ron, and their hits, their rarities, and Forever 5th Dimension, too.
Friends and fans, go on over and vote any way you wish, it’s so much fun and so easy to do! Your personal favorite Top 10 tunes of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s – thru now, of all time! Results will be aired on RewoundRadio.com the day after Christmas all week through to New Year’s Day!
Go to this link right now, and make your unique musical vote:
LaMonte McLemore is so sorry to announce the passing of his good friend, Richard Roundtree. Born July 9, 1942, he was an iconic actor as well as a former model. Roundtree is noted as being a trendsetting action hero for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film “Shaft,” and its four sequels, released between 1972 and 2019. For his performance in the original film, Roundtree was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor in 1972. LaMonte notes in his memoir “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension,” that Mr. Roundtree was not only a trailblazer as an African American actor (who continued to work over decades), but for courageously bringing public awareness to the sensitive issue of male breast cancer, as a survivor. Richard was part of a circle of dear longtime friends, which includes The Original 5th Dimension family, Harry Elston of The Friends of Distinction, Jayne Kennedy, Freda Payne, and more. LaMonte extends heartfelt prayers for Richard’s family and many fans, and punctuates, “Richard was an icon…and always a gentleman.”
—Robert-Allan Arno for Forever 5th Dimension and #TeamMac
We recently lost the popular and beloved Suzanne Somers. She was an industry survivor known for her roles in “American Graffiti,” as Chrissy Snow in “Three’s Company” …and as an advocate for equal pay for women, for melding eastern & western health, for balanced nutrition & fitness…and author of numerous NY Times best sellers, tireless in reinventing herself and empowering others through her diverse efforts. I had thought about one of her talk forums back in the ‘90’s where Marilyn McCoo, a fellow lovely Libra, was her special guest. Suzanne talked one-on-one of seeing The Original 5th Dimension as her first Las Vegas show at age 18, and how Marilyn carried herself onstage and moved a certain way, inspiring the hopeful Somers. Marilyn’s response to such a compliment was quite humble. Here is a snippet of that reflection as Suzanne introduces Marilyn’s song (a rollicking “Ticket to Ride” with the Glenn Zottola Band) and alludes once again to Marilyn/The 5th’s influence. Notice Andre Carthen, part of #MarilynBilly’s in-concert team to this day, adding his choreographed touch to the soul stirring rendition. It’s a sweet footnote to know that Suzanne was an authentic “5th fan.” She brought Light & Love to her many endeavors and left this world a better place.
—Robert-Allan Arno
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Marilyn McCoo, McCooSomers, Suzanne Somers, Ticket to Ride
Marilyn (McCoo) refers to them as “the precursor group to The 5th Dimension,” they’re the Hi-Fi’s, later called the Vocals! Managed by none other than Ray Charles, their sound was vocal Jazz and one of their tunes (later re-recorded by The Friends of Distinction most excellently) is “Lonesome Mood.” In fact, this rare photo comes to Forever 5th Dimension courtesy of our good friend, Mr. Harry Elston of The Friends. LaMonte (McLemore) writes about a rollicking time with the group in his memoir “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension” in the amusing chapter titled, “Hi-Fi Nights n’ Flights.” Pictured left to right: Harry Elston, Fritz Basket, Lawrence Summers, Rex Middleton (front, conductor), Marilyn McCoo and LaMonte McLemore.
—Robert-Allan Arno
“From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension,” the hip hit memoir available at Amazon:
FOREVER 5TH DIMENSION 
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