Tag Archives: Black History Month

Honoring Black History Month

Posted on February 1, 2022 | Leave a comment

Happy #BlackHistoryMonth from Forever 5th Dimension. We begin with The 5th Dimension‘s medley of “A Change is Gonna Come” with “People Gotta be Free.” This tour-de-force mashup that’s forever in our hearts, comes from the seminal PORTRAIT project of 1970 where, as Marilyn McCoo recounted, “The 5th Dimension wanted to make our version of a protest album.” With one of our greatest Soul singers, Mr. Billy Davis, Jr. at the hub, Sam Cooke’s anthem of pathos and “defiant uplift” takes on a life of even greater magnitude. Coupled with “Free,” there is resolution in a way so specific to The 5th Dimension–that of unbridled joy and vibrant finesse–that the medley heralds the unique legacy of “The 5th,” itself during this special month.

~~Robert-Allan Arno

***Listen to the medley, video produced/music re-mastered by FOREVER 5th DIMENSION, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqC1yENvEMY

(Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., all rights reserved, copyright 2008-2022)

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Thoughts from the Stars…

Posted on February 21, 2021 | Leave a comment

At Forever 5th Dimension, honored to share this conglomeration of powerful & poignant most recent quotes from our favorite stars…

From LaMonte McLemore official on Facebook:

#SunshineSunday#BlackHistoryMonth Recently, we celebrated The 5th Dimension being featured in the award-winning Sundance music-docu, “Summer of Soul” produced by the visionary Questlove. The “mash-up” The 5th performed at the historic Harlem Cultural Festival ’69 was currently at the top of the charts: “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.” But the other tune The 5th grooved with onstage was this intoxicating one: “Don’tcha Hear Me Callin’ To Ya.” Come dance with us this afternoon with the original recording, remastered at this link: https://youtu.be/x-oAd5Iz6VY ~~R-A A for Team Mac

From Florence LaRue’s Facebook page:

“Many thanks for all the lovely birthday greetings from all over the world! I wanted to acknowledge them personally, but there were just too many!! I thank God for all of you.”

From Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.’s official social media:

“We started making music in a time where a lot of this country didn’t want to accept us simply for the color of our skin. We defied the odds, and became the first African American married couple to host a network television series on CBS in 1977. When you think about it, that wasn’t all that long ago. We pursue our passions in spite of a lot of forces working against us. This month, we celebrate the progress we’ve made, but never forget that we are always a work in progress toward a more accepting tomorrow. Happy Black History Month!”

Artwork Credits: LaMonte by Kenneth Green; Marilyn & Billy: 50 Years of Love by Ephraim David Udoka, commissioned for McCoo/Davis by Robert-Allan Arno

(FOREVER 5th DIMENSION by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd, copyright 2008-2021, Intellectual Property, All Rights Reserved)

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Honoring Black History Month 2021

Posted on February 1, 2021 | Leave a comment

On the heels of The 5th Dimension’s featured historic appearance at the Sundance Film Festival among other legendary artists in “Summer of Soul,” and in this new month of February where we soon celebrate Florence LaRue’s birthday on February 4, FOREVER 5th DIMENSION is so pleased and proud to honor Black History Month. LaMonte and I just worked on this relevant feature, posted on his Facebook page, and we wanted to share it here, at the blog, too, as follows:

#BlackHistoryMonth21 Happy first day of February and the start of Black History Month. The 5th Dimension has much to be proud of and so do I, that’s why I was sure to weave important historical points all throughout my memoir, “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension.” One such highlight I recollected was a luncheon at my Vegas home with one of the esteemed curators of the up-and-coming Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. As most of you know, the museum has now become a thriving national must-go & see and will be that again, post-Covid. I donated this fringed & gold brocaded epaulette jacket, one of my stage outfits to the museum and it is on display with this lovely placard honoring The 5th Dimension, amid an orchestrated sea of other African American legacy music artists. While the museum remains temporarily closed, we bring you this peek inside…with pride! ❤ ~”Mac” as told to Robert-Allan Arno

The hip hit memoir, available at Amazon!

(Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., Intellectual Property, All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2008-2021)

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Celebrating a Legacy

Posted on February 18, 2017 | Leave a comment

Honoring Black History Month ’17–

a Forever 5th Dimension Exclusive Report by Robert-Allan Arno

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Museum Display—  Here’s a lively backstage photo of The Original 5th Dimension: Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., LaMonte McLemore, Florence LaRue & Ron “Sweets” Townson circa ’70.  It’s from photographer Arnie Lee‘s famed shoot of the quintet (onstage & off, at Eastern Michigan University) and we’re so proud to note that select pics from this session–including this one!–are currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.

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Florence’s Milestone, A Gathering of Forever Friends—  Our delightful diva, Ms. Florence LaRue just toasted a milestone birthday. She shares with us:

“WOW!! I haven’t the words or the time to individually thank the many people all over the world who sent wonderful birthday wishes to me! I thank God for all of you taking the time to do so; and I thank Him for allowing me to live 75 healthy years!~~~Yes 75!! I understand that some had my years much younger, but I am grateful for the years of learning, experiencing and growing closer to God! My heart is so full~~~THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! I feel SO loved! 🙂 and I send love to you!”  —Florence

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Current & founding members of The 5th Dimension join Ms. LaRue at her birthday soiree.  L to R: Floyd Smith, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., Florence, Leonard Tucker & Patrice Morris

On Feb. 18, Florence had a sumptuous house party attended by friends, family, fans and musical colleagues, including Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. who sang, individually at the intimate gathering.  Also attending were current members of The 5th Dimension:  Patrice Morris, Leonard Tucker and Floyd Smith. Here’s a lovely photo commemorating the event.

book cover

Memoir Available on Amazon*

LaMonte Celebrates––  And throughout this meaningful month, founder of The 5th Dimension, LaMonte McLemore is making select media appearances discussing the harmonious, unifying legacy of The 5th Dimension, his hit memoir “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension,” and featuring his exciting new song, a call for global peace: CEASE FIRE.

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Available at CD Baby:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lamontemclemore

“Mac” has appeared with Jimmy Howes on WGHT, Freddie Bell and Chantel on “The People’s Station”–KMOJ, Teddy Bear on LOTL Radio and just taped a podcast for world-wide distribution with the engaging Chris Yandeck at “CY Interview”:

You can listen to LaMonte’s heartfelt, in-depth chat with Chris at this easy link:  http://www.cyinterview.com/2017/02/up-up-and-away-the-5th-dimension-founder-lamonte-mclemore-talks-his-life-and-his-book-from-hobo-flats-to-the-5th-dimension-a-life-fulfilled-in-baseball-photography-and-music/

Essential Links:

Visit LaMonte McLemore on: Facebook, Twitter @LaMonteMcLemore, and Linked-in

*Purchase Mac’s 5-star hit memoir, FROM HOBO FLATS TO THE 5TH DIMENSION at Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Hobo-Flats-5th-Dimension-Photography/dp/0692307362/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487528579&sr=8-1&keywords=hobo+flats+to+5th+dimension

Visit Florence LaRue & The 5th Dimension for concert schedule & more at:  http://5thdimensionlive.com

Visit Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. for appearances & more at: Facebook Official, on Twitter @mccoodavis  or at:  http://www.mccoodavis.com

Photo Credits: Arnie Lee, all rights reserved; the Thalians; Patrice Morris…

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Bonus shot! Marilyn & Mac, circa ’70, by Arnie Lee

  Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, copyright ’17, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., intellectual property, all rights reserved

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Honoring Black History Month

Posted on February 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

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“The 5th Dimension’s essence of harmony brought people together in unity.”  It’s a phrase I’ve come up with over the years as biographer of The original 5th Dimension and of LaMonte McLemore.  Billy Davis, Jr. smiled when I told him this and added, “Marilyn and I always wanted to be approachable to our fans, our message too is that we are all really family.”  Florence LaRue reacted humbly, “We appreciate those sentiments, we were purely God’s messengers.”  Ron Townson in ’91 said with joy, “I am proud of our contributions, they go to other galaxies, too…’Earthbound’ was put in a time capsule that was placed on the moon!”  LaMonte in his upcoming for ’14 memoir FROM HOBO FLATS TO THE 5th DIMENSION (available in June!) talks at length about The 5th Dimension’s impact in the most heartfelt of ways.  From reaching out to the college crowd, to going behind “The Iron Curtain,” Mac didn’t take these performance opportunities for granted, “I never wanted to be a statistic…but to be an example to all…to make my mother and grandma proud.” 

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Here is The original 5th Dimension as produced, a few years back by FOREVER 5th  in honor of Black History Month.  Their interpretation of “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” aligns their brilliant harmonies and contemporary  finesse with the history of a profound spiritual.  Marilyn McCoo said it best, “We did this for Burt Bacharach’s TV special in ’73, including showing rehearsals of the piece, as we wanted our fans to have a peak at the effort we put into our work…to inspire them.”

Robert-Allan Arno

Biographer, The original 5th Dimension/LaMonte McLemore

Link to “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen:”

(c. 2014, Forever 5th Dimension, The Soul of the Voice, Ltd.)

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