Tag Archives: LaMonte McLemore

Limited Edition Poster offer: The world of LaMonte!!

Posted on August 11, 2024 | Leave a comment

Limited Edition Poster Offer! Hi Fans, Friends & Family! This is Robert-Allan Arno and as many of you know, LaMonte McLemore is on the Board of Directors of my foundation, America to Africa Higher Education Foundation–AAHEF, a public charity commencing our 3rd year, that provides collegiate scholarships & related needs to brilliant Nigerian students, who would otherwise not be able to afford university fees. We’re honored, too that Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., their management, and Florence LaRue also support the work of AAHEF.

This charcoal original 16 x 24 collage by the acclaimed Nigerian artist, Ephraim David Udoka is called “The World of LaMonte” and was unveiled to “oohs & ahs” at Mac’s luxurious “Black is Beautiful’ event in Las Vegas early this year. Today by popular request, it’s available in limited edition 16 x 18 high-definition prints, suitable for framing, where ALL proceeds go to the foundation. Pictured in the artwork, clockwise, is “classic Mac,” LaMonte’s Mama June, “Little Mac” with Grandma Gertrude, LaMonte & wife Mieko, The Original 5th Dimension, and LaMonte with his famed camera.

For a tax-deductible donation of $129 including postage & handling, you’ll receive the print, in protective mailing cylinder. (United States orders, only please.) If you are interested in obtaining this artwork that will help more Nigerian scholars’ educational dreams become a reality, request “The World of LaMonte” at PayPal.

Just go to PayPal and enter as payee: VoiceActions@hotmail.com, pay $129 and indicate “LaMonte.” We thank you from the bottom of our cross-cultural hearts and say, “God bless you!”

Learn more about the foundation at www.AmericatoAfricaHigherEducationFoundation.com

Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd. copyright 2008-24, intellectual property, all rights reserved. “The World of LaMonte” by Ephraim David Udoka, copyright 2024, all rights reserved.

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LaMonte & HIs JET Beauties, Featured in The New YorkER Magazine!

Posted on June 27, 2024 | Leave a comment

LaMonte McLemore‘s lovely, iconic friend Jayne Kennedy Overton cued us into this thrilling “just in!” LaMonte‘s new coffee table book, available on Amazon, “Black is Beautiful: JET Beauties of the Week” has been featured in an in-depth article by Jennifer Wilson in the New Yorker Magazine. You can read the entire article (complete with beautiful women!) at this link, courtesy of Govinda Gallery. Ms. Wilson observes, “McLemore knew to make the images look as natural as the beauties he was tasked with shooting.” —Robert-Allan Arno

The Unfiltered Charm of Jet’s Beauties of the Week…The New Yorker
The luxurious coffee table book, “Black is Beautiful–JET Beauties of the Week” by LaMonte McLemore edited by Chris Murray is available now, at 25% off, at Amazon, here:  https://www.amazon.com/-/es/LaMonte-McLemore/dp/1648230474

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Father’s Day Reflection

Posted on June 16, 2024 | Leave a comment

We’re wishing dads, uncles, brothers, mentors, teachers, pastors and yes, superb singers…all the great men who have influenced us in such positive transformative ways…a Happy & Blessed Father’s Day! ❤ Taking this personal opportunity to acknowledge LaMonte McLemore and Billy Davis, Jr. who have greatly impacted me in how to conduct myself in “the entertainment biz”…and in life. These gentle yet dynamic men are dear familial friends, who have guided and mentored me to this day…it is a blessing to have them on the proverbial journey and with this being the 1st Father’s Day without my beloved dad, their presence is underscored, all the more.
—Robert-Allan Arno

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Happy 29th Anniversary, Mac & Mieko!

Posted on June 1, 2024 | Leave a comment

Happy New Month, Fans, Family & Friends. June 1 marks LaMonte & Mieko McLemore‘s’ 29th wedding anniversary! As LaMonte declares warmly in his memoir “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension,” with a re-write of his classic tune, dedicated to Mieko: “A Love Like Ours…was meant to be.” ❤❤ —Robert-Allan Arno

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The “Black is Beautiful” Event Honoring LaMonte McLemore: Las Vegas, 1/6/24

Posted on January 9, 2024 | Leave a comment

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.

Florence LaRue, Robert-Allan Arno, Billy Davis, Jr., Marilyn McCoo

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.

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Remembering the Trailblazing Richard Roundtree

Posted on October 24, 2023 | Leave a comment

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

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Hi-Fi Cool!

Posted on October 10, 2023 | Leave a comment

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:

Enjoy “Lonesome Mood” by The Friends of Distinction, here:
Forever 5th Dimension by Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-2023, intellectual property, all rights reserved.

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Marilyn, Billy and The Dream Awards, ’23!

Posted on September 26, 2023 | Leave a comment

Courtesy LaMonte’s social media:

A couple of years ago, LaMonte McLemore was honored for Lifetime Achievement by the Dream Awards. (Sharing below the autobiographical video that went with the presentation). This year, LaMonte is thrilled that his dearest of friends, Marilyn McCoo & Bily Davis, Jr. and Jayne Kennedy, among other luminaries, will be given special tributes at the 2023 Dream Awards, Oct 29, 7pm, at the Suncoast Casino Hotel, Las Vegas. Cocktail attire; get your tickets now*, friends & fans, for an elegant, joyful evening saluting icons of Black excellence. ❤

*For tickets go to this link: https://bit.ly/dreamawardslv

(R-A A for #TeamMac)

Update, 10/30: Here are Marilyn & Billy with their Dream Awards, courtesy of the show’s producer, Mable Buckner, also pictured:

Watch LaMonte’s Lifetime Achievement video, here:

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

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Two Gentlemen, Two Heroes

Posted on September 13, 2023 | Leave a comment

At Forever 5th Dimension we’re gearing up early for Sunday’s birthday celebration of Grammy legend, founder of The 5th Dimension, the group’s mellow bass, and author of such gems as “The Singer,” and “A Love Like Ours”…not to mention a renowned trailblazing photographer, Mr. LaMonte McLemore.

Personally, I’m leaving town to be with my mom upon today’s passing of my dad at age 93. Dad always loved the members of The 5th Dimension because he knew I loved them so much. He made sure to drive me from Long Island to my first 5th Dimension concert at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City, circa ’72–I was too young to even take a subway there, lol! And when he read, cover-to-cover, the memoir I penned with LaMonte, “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension” he expressed, “It’s beautiful!” I replied, “Oh, you mean the pretty picture of The 5th on the cover?” Dad responded, “No…I mean the inspirational and poetic manner you and LaMonte expressed yourselves.” Dad always respected LaMonte, two good looking dudes with cool n’ classy fashion sense. And they always sent regards to one another, through me.

On such a somber day, special thanks to LaMonte & Mieko who took my call at 1am (OK, they were 3 hours earlier in Vegas!), Florence who called immediately with prayerful words, and to Marilyn & Billy’s team at KIWW including Jason Winters and Steve Rosenblum for such edifying sentiments. Marilyn & Billy’s profound call of deep fellowship was incomparable as well as their kind posting, remembering Dad on their social media. The duo also called me right before my August birthday this year…I was in my parents’ home taking care of things for them, and it was so full circle as this was the house as a kid, where I first discovered The 5th Dimension. I know Dad would be proud of such an outpouring from my heroes & sheroes…they were his, too. And he is certainly mine, always.

“Earth hath no sorrow, that heaven cannot heal.”

Please join us for a comprehensive birthday tribute to LaMonte, at this Forever 5th Dimension link: https://forever5thdimension.com/2022/09/16/celebrating-lamontes-birthday-with-new-dimensions/

–Robert-Allan Arno

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Mama June, An Unforgettable Lady

Posted on June 3, 2023 | Leave a comment

Dateline June 3: We’re remembering the birthday of LaMonte McLemore‘s cherished mother, warmly known to all as “Mama June.” So many of you knew of her inspiring example or had the pleasure to be in her incandescent presence. A witness to history, Mama June left us at age 106 in 2020. She will always be deeply meaningful to her family, friends, and to The 5th Dimension family & fans. —R-A A for #TeamMac

https://www.stltoday.com/…/article_671937ee-24ac-11eb…

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