Celebrating our 18th Year! A TRIBUTE TO THE MULTI-GRAMMY WINNING LEGENDARY STARS of THE ORIGINAL 5TH DIMENSION, Curated by Biographer, Robert-Allan Arno ~~ History & Current Events, Exclusive Quotes & Interviews, Rare Photo Collection! Recommended by McCoo/Davis, LaRue & Remembering LaMonte McLemore
EnJOY our updated-for-2021 comprehensive guide to the holiday music of the members of The Original 5th Dimension, featuring latest song entries, exclusive quotes given to Forever 5th Dimension from the stars, and fun photos!
Joyful Christmas Blessings to fans, friends & family the world over and special thanks to the stars, Marilyn & Billy, Florence, and LaMonte, plus their respective management. ~~Robert-Allan Arno
Savor the all-new chat! Marilyn McCoo & BillyDavis, Jr. always like to keep it “fresh” and along with interviewer, Judge Harvey Brownstone, they certainly bring a special energy and flow to their legacy and all of the twosome’s electrifying new endeavors! They welcome us into a charming environment as we get to sit at the table with the ultimate dynamic duo and a true gentleman, Sir Harvey. And a humble thank you for the elegant shout-out. Bless all of you this holiday season. Fans & friends, watch here! ~~Robert-Allan Arno, Forever 5th Dimension
Holiday and Valentine’s Weekend Reminders:
–A replay of “The Walton’s Homecoming” featuring Marilyn & Billy singing “Silent Night” happens on the CW network, Sat. Dec. 11, 8pm, ET!
–Marilyn & Billy will appear at the 89th Hollywood Christmas Parade, also on the CW, Fri. Dec. 17, 8pm, ET!
(Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-21, intellectual property, all rights reserved)
#ConcertCorner East coast friends! Join 7-time Grammy winners, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. on Marilyn’s birthday, this Thursday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 pm for an evening of “Up-Up & Away: the Concert” at the lovely Ridgefield Playhouse, Connecticut.
Dateline September 17: Today is a sweet celebration, the birthday of the one & only LaMonte McLemore. Some know him worldwide as the multi-Grammy winning “mellow bass” and stylish, visionary founder of legends, The 5th Dimension. Others know him as the premier freelance photographer for JET magazine’s trailblazing Beauty of the Week feature. In your own life’s journey, you may have been in a 5th Dimension sold-out audience, modeled for & been photographed by him, or played a cool game of softball sharing the field. And everyone who has had a personal “moment with Mac” is made to feel special because LaMonte has a knack for seeing everyone’s individual “greatest hit!”
About 2 years ago, LaMonte suffered a stroke. May this greeting also serve as an update, since many of you have inquired. He is progressing well and via this message reaches out to each of you to say “Right on,” and even remember your own birthdays! Like you, LaMonte was thrilled with The 5th Dimension’s appearance in this summer’s Indy film blockbuster, “Summer of Soul.” And he appreciated your sympathies at the passing of his cherished “Mama June” at age 106, this past year. And guess what? Something you probably know…LaMonte always “keeps on steppin’!” He will soon announce some very exciting new projects he & his team have been working on, always pleasing friends, fans, and family!
We appreciate LaMonte’s capacity 5,000 Facebook friends here, we keep his page fresh and up-to-date with not only rare photos & select memories but current events…and making it inclusive, supporting the projects of the other members of The Original 5th Dimension, the married team of Marilyn & Billy, plus Florence & The current 5th Dimension…we call them “5th Family.” And in that family spirit, LaMonte, Mieko and myself, his biographer & social media curator/media spokesman love putting our heads together to bring you our lively best.
So please leave your birthday greetings for LaMonte…he will certainly enjoy reading them and sends you his love & blessings on his special day! ~~Robert-Allan Arno
(Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-21, intellectual property, all rights reserved)
Of the many in-depth, candid interviews we’ve conducted with Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. over the years here at FOREVER 5th DIMEMSION, it’s always nice to “step-out” and get to Q & A the First Couple of Pop n’ Soul at a special forum like Culture Sonar. I spoke with “MarBill” for “A Soaring Blackbird, A Summer of Soul” focusing on the recording secrets behind their latest critically-acclaimed CD, “Blackbird: Lennon/McCarnty Icons.” Read their cool n’ savvy take here:
FOREVER 5th DIMENSION presents the Top 5 for Summer of 2021 for your listening, reading & viewing pleasure–in no necessary order…they’re all spectacular with kudos to Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue and LaMonte McLemore. Oh, and don’t forget our exclusive online magazine interview with Marilyn & Billy coming for their 52nd wedding anniversary, the end of July! OK, let’s countdown…or count up “Up and Away!”
Marilyn & Billy‘s latest CD, “Blackbird: Lennon/McCartney Icons” is a statement piece in their recording legacy. Our “MarBill” add their inimitable approach with freshness, and a distinct Civil Rights bent to the music of Lennon/McCartney. Critically, celebrity and fan-acclaimed, available at Amazon here: Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. on Amazon Music – Amazon.com
I just reviewed Florence‘s new book “Grace in Your Second Act– A Guide to Aging Gracefully” (see our previous Forever 5th article) and I am still marveling at the amount of research and anecdotal information our “delightful diva” has compiled. It’s an important self-help & faith-based book with strategies that are practical, revelation-al, and oftentimes cute, poignant and celebrity-inspired. Read it “On the Beach (In the Summertime),” available at Amazon here: Grace in Your Second Act: A Guide to Aging Gracefully: LaRue, Florence, Paschall, Jenny: 9781664227088: Amazon.com: Books
LaMonte‘s hit memoir “From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension,” now in its 2nd edition, and something I am so honored to have co-written with Mac, is one hip literary trip. Recommended by Johnny Mathis, Nancy Sinatra, Otis Williams of the Temptations, more, LaMonte talks music history, Black history, and shares the secrets that made The 5th Dimension harmonic unifiers–bringing together generations, races and crossing record chart boundaries. Lots of laughs and celeb anecdotes…as only “Mac” can tell a story! Available at Amazon…another great beach read!: Amazon.com: From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension: A Life Fulfilled in Baseball, Photography and Music (9780692307366): McLemore, LaMonte, Arno, Robert-Allan: Books
The Ultimate 5th Dimension CD reviewed as “the best-sounding, best-annotated anthology” of the quintet by All Music Guide is a 21 song overview of The 5th’s recorded hit magic. And yes, I was so proud to compile the tunes with mega-producer Bones Howe for this project and write the extensive liners. Ultimate is a perennial AND back on the charts due to the “5th resurgence” created by “Summer of Soul,” and now at the “nice price,” at Amazon: The 5th Dimension – Ultimate 5th Dimension – Amazon.com Music
Last by not least, “Summer of Soul” is the hit docu-film of the summer! Producer Questlove unearthed countless pristine celluloid hours of African American musical luminaries performing at The Harlem Cultural Festival, circa 1969. Akin to a “Black Woodstock,” Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Mahalia Jackson, Sly & The Family Stone, and more took to the stage before hundreds of thousands. The #1 song of the day (and the year for that matter), actually a “mash-up” of “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” courtesy of Broadway’s HAIR, performed with verve and optimistic joy by a brightly attired The 5th Dimension (Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue, Billy Davis, Jr., Ron Townson and McLemore) is one of the movie’s centerpieces. As biographer of The Original 5th Dimension and Mr. McLemore, I stated to SoulTracks and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “To see The 5th Dimension on the big screen at the apex of their career is thrilling for their many fans, more so it underscores the unexpected power of the group’s unique ebullient flavor.” Be sure to see “Summer of Soul” at a theater near you…or enjoy at home on Hulu! ~~Robert-Allan Arno
(Hit right arrow to experience slideshow!)
Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., copyright 2008-21, intellectual property, all rights reserved
The publicity campaign has been exhilarating so far…fan & media anticipation is high…
the official release of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.’s “Lennon/McCartney Icons” will be Friday, April 30…
including lyrics, historic background, exclusive and rare photos…it’s Marilyn & Billy reimagining the Beatles & more in a plea for Civil and Human Rights…and unconditional Love for all.
Blackbird…The Fool on The Hill…Ticket to Ride…Yesterday…And I Love Her…The Long & Winding Road…Help…Just Like Starting Over…Silly Love Songs, more…
Pre-order at Amazon here and check “MarBill’s” official pages for more up-to-the-minute information:
LaMonte McLemore and I are so pleased to share that our dear friends, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. have just released a new song (from their exciting forthcoming album interpreting the music of Lennon/McCartney)…with trademark vocal stylings and a very fresh twist, perfect from the first couple of Pop n’ Soul as we usher in Valentine’s Day, 2021. Enjoy a deliciously sweet n’ funky “Silly Love Songs” at this link, and sing along with “MarBill,” friends & fans! ~~Robert-Allan Arno
#NewChristmasSong Our dear friends, Billy & Marilyn have a delightful new Christmas song, “It Wouldn’t Be Christmas” as part of their Coming2Gether (Soldiers for the Second Coming) endeavor. Press this link to purchase & digitally download the Christmas music cheer! –Robert-Allan Arno
Dateline Sept. 17: It’s #LaMonteDay with a Special Update: Today is an incredibly momentous day, the birthday of a gentleman we all respect and love: LaMonte McLemore. The world knows him as the founder & “mellow bass” of The Original 5th Dimension, Pop-Soul 6-time Grammy-winning royalty that blazed trails “Up-Up and Away” through the “Age of Aquarius.” Their “Champagne Soul” is still relevant and ever uplifting. The world also knows him as the premier freelance photographer for JET magazine…his “Beauty of the Week” feature edified the loveliness of Black women and helped make historic shifts in the pop culture. But we who know “Mac” through his friendship or “familial being”—whether you’ve played softball with him, have posed as his model, have chatted warmly with him backstage, have been mentored and encouraged by his visionary eye for talent, and so many instances more —know a man of abounding compassion, kindness, humor, and his motto: “We are only in this world to help one another”—something his prophetic Grandma Gertrude always instilled .
Approximately one year ago, Mac suffered a stroke and we wanted to keep you, his fans, friends & family informed…and his birthday is a perfect time to bring you up-to-date. LaMonte—along with his luminous, diligent wife Mieko each step of the way—has worked tirelessly, making great strides this past year with the latest advances in physical and speech therapy, and so much more. Mieko shares, “We have made every day a new adventure, and our hearts have been continually warmed by so many caring people we’ve met along the way.” From celebrating simple sunsets at Christmastime, to Mama June’s 106th birthday this June (LaMonte’s cherished mom), to watching the new Civil Rights movement unfold this springtime, and taking healthy summertime strolls while others have marched, Mac with Mieko has continued to blaze trails with courage, smiles and a can-do spirit…characteristics LaMonte has always represented. And here on his lively Facebook page of 5,000 followers, we love bringing you all sorts of memories and acknowledging current milestones. It’s part of LaMonte’s “vital vibe,” and as his biographer and social media curator, I am so proud to do so, confabbing with Mac & Mieko regularly…it is a special 3-way bond I am so happy to mention in this birthday salute.
LaMonte expresses to you with that “famous twinkle” in his eyes, “Thank you EVERYONE for your heartfelt wishes, prayers, the good times we continue to share…and sometimes, difficult things like the pandemic…where we still see the hope for a brighter day.” LaMonte continues, “Can I end with a joke? Grandma always used to say: ‘The sun rises and sets for everyone…we’re the only ones who screw it up in between!’ So on my birthday I say, don’t screw it up! Seriously, let us continue in joy and with love for one another.”
And with Mac having those final golden words, please join us here with your birthday wishes for this legendary man…our friend…our family…our role model. —Robert-Allan Arno for “Team LaMonte”(as published on LaMonte McLemore’s Facebook page)
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.–the 1st Couple of Pop n’ Soul bring this message:
“Happy Birthday, Mac! Man, you’re getting up there; well we all are! 🙂 Do you remember when The 5th Dimension used to joke about one day all of us rolling around onstage in our wheelchairs singing ‘Up-Up & Away’?!’ 🙂 We’re wishing you a beautiful day of celebration and we’ll see you soon!” Love, Billy & Marilyn; P. S. Love to Mieko
—Robert-Allan Arno for “Team LaMonte” (as published on LaMonte McLemore’s Facebook page)
🙂 Do you remember when The 5th Dimension used to joke about one day all of us rolling around onstage in our wheelchairs singing ‘Up-Up & Away’?!’ 
FOREVER 5TH DIMENSION 
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