LaMonte McLemore, a founding member of the 5th Dimension, the vocal group known for its smooth pop and soul sound with hints of psychedelia that produced 1960s and 1970s hits, has died at the age of 90, reports Baltimore Chronicle, citing Guardian. He passed away on Tuesday at his Las Vegas home, surrounded by family, from natural causes following a stroke, his representative Jeremy Westby confirmed.
The 5th Dimension achieved widespread crossover success, earning six Grammy Awards, including record of the year twice: for 1967’s Up, Up and Away and 1969’s Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In. Both tracks reached the top 10 on the pop charts, with Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, a medley from the musical Hair, spending six consecutive weeks at number one.
Born in St. Louis, McLemore served in the U.S. Navy as an aerial photographer and briefly played baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system before settling in Southern California. There, he combined his talent for photography with his deep bass voice. His work as a sports and celebrity photographer appeared in publications including Jet magazine.
McLemore began performing in a jazz ensemble, the Hi-Fi’s, alongside future 5th Dimension member Marilyn McCoo. The group opened for Ray Charles in 1963 but disbanded a year later. In 1965, McLemore, McCoo, and childhood friends Billy Davis Jr and Ronald Towson, together with schoolteacher Florence LaRue, formed a group called the Versatiles. They signed with Soul City Records, the label founded by singer Johnny Rivers, who suggested a more contemporary name. Towson proposed 5th Dimension, reflecting the group’s embrace of psychedelia and hippy culture.
The 5th Dimension’s first hit came in 1967 with Go Where You Wanna Go, a song by the Mamas & the Papas. Later that year, the group released Jimmy Webb’s Up, Up and Away, which climbed to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to win four Grammys: record of the year, best contemporary single, best performance by a vocal group, and best contemporary group performance.
McLemore is survived by his wife of 30 years, Mieko McLemore, their children Ciara and Darin, his sister Joan, and three grandchildren.
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