Entertainment
LaMonte McLemore, singer and founding member of The 5th Dimension, dies at 90
Singer LaMonte McLemore, a founding member of vocal group The 5th Dimension, whose smooth pop and soul sounds with a touch of psychedelia brought them big hits in the 1960s and ’70s, has died. He was 90.
McLemore died Tuesday at his home in Las Vegas, surrounded by family, his representative Jeremy Westby said in a statement obtained by CBS News. He died of natural causes after having a stroke.
The 5th Dimension had broad crossover success and won 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 were also top 10 pop hits, with the latter, a mashup of songs from the musical “Hair,” spending six weeks at No. 1.
McLemore had a parallel career as a sports and celebrity photographer whose pictures appeared in magazines, including Jet.
Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic via Getty Images
Born in St. Louis, McLemore served in the Navy, where he worked as an aerial photographer. He played baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system and settled in Southern California, where he began making use of his warm bass voice and skill with a camera.
He sang in a jazz ensemble, the Hi-Fi’s, with future 5th Dimension bandmate Marilyn McCoo. The group opened for Ray Charles in 1963 but broke up the following year.
McLemore, McCoo and two of his childhood friends from St. Louis, Billy Davis Jr. and Ronald Towson, later formed a singing group called the Versatiles. They also recruited Florence LaRue, a schoolteacher McLemore met through his photography, to join them. In 1965 they signed to singer Johnny Rivers’ new label, Soul City Records, and changed their name to The 5th Dimension to better represent the cultural moment.
Their breakthrough hit came in 1967 with the Mamas & the Papas’ song “Go Where You Wanna Go.”
Harold P. Matosia / AP 
That same year, they released the Jimmy Webb-penned “Up, Up and Away,” which would go to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and win four Grammys: record of the year, best contemporary single, best performance by a vocal group and best contemporary group performance.
In 1968 they had hits with a pair of Laura Nyro songs, “Stoned Soul Picnic” and “Sweet Blindness.”
1969 brought the peak of their commercial success with “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” which along with its long run at No. 1 won Grammys for record of the year and best contemporary vocal performance by a group.
That same year they played the Harlem Cultural Festival, which has become known as the “Black Woodstock.” The festival, and The 5th Dimension’s part in it, were chronicled in the 2021 documentary from Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, “Summer of Soul.”
The 5th Dimension also had a rare level of success with white audiences for a group whose members were all Black. The phenomenon came with criticism.
“We were constantly being attacked because we weren’t, quote, unquote, ‘Black enough,'” McCoo said in “Summer of Soul.” “Sometimes we were called the Black group with the white sound, and we didn’t like that. We happened to be artists who are Black, and our voices sound the way they sound.”
The group had hits into the 1970s including “One Less Bell to Answer,” “(Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All” and “If I Could Reach You.”
They became regulars on TV variety shows and performed at the White House and on an international cultural tour organized by the State Department.
The original lineup lasted until 1975, when McCoo and Davis left to make their own music.
“All of us who knew and loved him will definitely miss his energy and wonderful sense of humor,” McCoo and Davis, who married in 1969, said in a statement.
LaRue said in her own statement that McLemore’s “cheerfulness and laughter often brought strength and refreshment to me in difficult times. We were more like brother and sister than singing partners.”
McLemore is survived by his wife of 30 years, Mieko McLemore, daughter Ciara, son Darin, sister Joan and three grandchildren.
Entertainment
Graham Carey’s partner Rachel Borthwick passes away in India after breast cancer battle
Irish footballer Graham Carey announced the demise of his wife, Rachel Borthwick, at the age of 37.
Borthwick passed away on Sunday, March 22, in Delhi, India, for her further treatment of breast cancer.
She fought with cancer for four-and-a-half years.
She travelled to India to explore further medical options after being told that there were no remaining treatments available in the UK.
Her parents were also there by her side.
In September 2021, the mother-of-two diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer following the discovery of a lump.
Later, her cancer became undetectable after receiving initial treatment. However, a new tumour was found in March 2023.
On social media, Carey, who is currently playing for Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic, paid an emotional tribute to his wife, writing: “No words can describe the pain and sadness of having to explain to my babies that their beautiful Mummy and best friend will not be coming home. They are her whole world and always will be. It was her only motivation over these past few years dealing with this horrible illness.”
“Our babies will always remember how unbelievably strong and brave you have been until the very end. I know you will always be looking down on them, protecting them and guiding them. They can take some comfort that their mummy is no longer in any pain and can now rest in peace. We will always love you more than you could ever know,” he added.
In the same post, Carey mentioned that Rachel passed away peacefully at CK Birla Hospital in Delhi, India.
“We want to thank everyone who has supported Rachel throughout her journey—through donations, messages, prayers, and kindness. It meant more to her, and to all of us, than we can ever truly express,” he thanked for the tributes and condolences.
The refund process for tickets of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 will begin on March 30, tournament organisers announced on Wednesday.
The ticket holders who purchased their PSL 11 tickets online will receive refunds automatically through the original payment method used at the time of booking, which is applicable to all transactions made via debit and credit cards, as well as digital payment platforms.
The refund process, slated to commence on March 30, is expected to be completed within 15 working days. However, the exact timeline may vary slightly depending on the customers’ respective banks or payment service providers.
The league’s management further asserted that the ticket holders are not required to initiate the refund, but those experiencing delays beyond the stipulated period may contact their bank or payment platform for further assistance.
For the unversed, the tickets’ refund came in the light of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to hold the historic PSL 11 behind closed doors in Karachi and Lahore to align with officially announced national resource conservation efforts.
According to the updated itinerary, the tournament will comprise 44 matches played over 39 days, with each city hosting 22 fixtures. The opening match between the Hyderabad Kingsmen and Lahore Qalandars remains unchanged.
Lahore will host Eliminators 1 and 2, as well as the final, while the Qualifier will take place in Karachi.
As the tournament temporarily adopts a watch-from-home model, organisers have confirmed the introduction of enhanced broadcast and production features designed to deliver a superior viewing experience for fans in Pakistan and around the world.
Suki Waterhouse might be the love of Robert Pattinson’s life, as well as his rumoured wife but there is one thing he struggles to do for her.
The 39-year-old actor recently made a confession about his private relationship in an interview with Zendaya, ahead of the release of their movie The Drama.
Pattinson and Zendaya were asked what they would choose between two difficult-to-hear truths – being told that their partners don’t like the way they cook or that their partners have their birthdays written down somewhere because they cannot remember it.
While the Euphoria star quickly admitted that she wouldn’t mind being told she doesn’t cook well, because she is not fond of cooking, Pattinson laughed embarrassingly until nudged to answer.
The Twilight star then confessed that he really struggles with remembering birthdays, even that of his fiancée’s.
When Zendaya interrogated hi, saying, “even your significant other?,” Pattinson tried to defend himself, sharing that “Suki’s birthday is at the beginning of the year, there is a lot going on…”
Despite his attempts at defence, the Dune actress mocked Pattinson for forgetting the Good Looking hitmaker’s special day.
Notably, the Daisy Jones & The Six actress celebrates her birthday on January 5.
The Batman actor and Waterhouse have been together since 2018, and welcomed a daughter in 2024.
Graham Carey’s partner Rachel Borthwick passes away in India after breast cancer battle
Cristiano Ronaldo’s eldest son trained with Real Madrid’s academy – sources
PSL 11 ticket refund process to begin from March 30
-
Fashion1 week agoSales at US apparel, clothing accessories stores up 4% YoY in Jan 2026
-
Tech1 week agoJustice Department Says Anthropic Can’t Be Trusted With Warfighting Systems
-
Business1 week agoStocks and pound rise as US rate call approaches
-
Entertainment7 days agoVal Kilmer revived 1 year after death through AI
-
Business1 week agoBrits cashing in jewellery as gold price hits record high
-
Sports1 week agoMarch Madness 2026 – How to watch in SA, start time, schedule, TV channel for NCAA championship basketball tournament
-
Sports1 week agoWBC championship: USA-Venezuela preview, live updates, analysis
-
Tech1 week agoMeta Is Shutting Down Horizon Worlds on Meta Quest