Sinatra knew.
Posted on 02/06/2026 12:57:56 PM PST by fidelis
He provided warm bass vocals on such hits as “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” and “Wedding Bell Blues” and was a photographer and author as well.
LaMonte McLemore, a founding member of The 5th Dimension and a longtime celebrity and sports photographer whose images graced magazines including Jet, Ebony and Harper’s Bazaar, has died. He was 90.
McLemore died Tuesday of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas, a publicist announced. He suffered a stroke several years ago.
With The 5th Dimension alongside Florence LaRue, Ron Townson and married couple Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo, McLemore helped bring a polished, genre-blending sound to American pop and soul in the late 1960s and early ’70s on such hits as “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.”
The group won the Grammy for record of the year twice — for “Up, Up and Away” in 1968 and for “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” in 1970. The latter topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks in spring 1969, becoming one of the signature recordings of its generation.
The group’s other hits included another No. 1 song, “Wedding Bell Blues,” Laura Nyro’s “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Go Where You Wanna Go,” “One Less Bell to Answer” and “(Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All.” Along the way, they created seven Gold albums and six Platinum RIAA-certified singles.
McLemore was known for the warm bass vocals and easygoing presence that helped anchor the group’s sophisticated harmonies and modern pop sensibility.
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
Yes, a new generation fell in love with her.
Sinatra knew.
Marilyn was too classy for him.
Great harmonies, real music. RIP
Over the past year or so, I’ve started to listen to a lot of 60’s “Sunshine Pop”, stuff I hadn’t listened to in years, and now I have a real appreciation for it.
I knew this eventually would become a Marylin McCoo thread. Great lady. Such Class.
My favorite….
One class act!
RIP Songman Photographer
Thanks for making this world a more beautiful place.
So old I remember listening to CKLW with my cassette recorder waiting to record my favs. Motown and Canadian folk/rock...good times (unfortunately lousy recordings on cheap Kmart/Korvette’s/Kresge’s/Federal’s/etc. cassette tapes)
Robert W. Morgan
The Real Don Steele
Titans of the SoCal airwaves during the 60’s and 70’s.
Great site!
Thanks for posting it!
I like to go to sleep with it playing in the background. It’s the closest thing to a time machine.
I am a great fan of 5th Dimension, but Aquaris/Let the Sunshine In sung by Jennifer Warnes (also in 69) is fantastic. Give it a listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmXXTPrOgA&list=RD6RmXXTPrOgA&start_radio=1
Frankly, I could listen to that song by most anyone—it is that good...
Spread the MM gospel, Brother Buck. Amen.
Will do.
Lamont’s was always the one who stood out of the Five because of ( what word to use?), his girth.
But he was probably the most versatile vocalists of them all.
Aside from modern pop music and singing background to the Marilyn and Florence in their solos, Lamonte could actually sing opera.
In one of their TV shows, He actually performed the famous clown solo of the opera PAGLIACCI, the tenor aria “Vesti la giubba”, arguably the most iconic and heart-wrenching moment in all of opera. The aria is the definitive example of the “tragic clown” archetype: a performer who must force the world to laugh while his own heart is breaking and LaMonte actually surprised everyone with his range!
A really amazing vocalist!
Lamont’s was always the one who stood out of the Five because of ( what word to use?), his girth.
That was Ronald Townson, he passed away in 2001.
Very cool.
I apologize, I confused their names, yes, I was thinking of the heavy set Ronald “Sweets” Townson. Apologies to both these great singers for confusing them.
Didn’t Rush use one of their songs to troll the Left?
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