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.
- India’s geography will be changed if it attempts misadventure: Asif.
- Says New Delhi now facing embarrassment on foreign fronts.
- Pakistan achieved “highly reputable status” in region: defence czar.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday warned that India would become part of history and its geography would be changed if it attempts any future misadventure against Pakistan.
The defence minister made the hard-hitting remarks during Geo News programme “Capital Talk” in the backdrop of the recent provocative statement by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.
Taking exception to the Indian army chief’s recent provocative remarks, the defence czar said that Gen Dwivedi was trying to “regain his lost respect” after the humiliating defeat in the 19-day military conflict, spanning from April 22 to May 10, 2025.
In response to the Indian aggression, Pakistan’s armed forces launched a large-scale retaliatory military action, named “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, and targeted several Indian military targets across multiple regions.
Pakistan downed eight Indian fighter jets, including Rafales, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.
“As a nation, India thinks that its esteem has been damaged,” said Asif.
The minister said that New Delhi is now facing embarrassment on the foreign fronts, adding that Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, which India had considered its “extension,” did not enjoy the same relationship with it as before.
On the other hand, he said that Pakistan achieved “a highly reputable status” in the region, adding that it is difficult for New Delhi to digest it.
When asked about a possible nexus between India and Israel against Pakistan, the minister said that Tel Aviv doesn’t want anyone more powerful in this region other than its partner, India.
He maintained that there could be a resemblance in the objectives of India and Israel.
To another question, the minister said that there is a division between India’s military and civilian leadership.
He was referring to contradictory statements made by the Indian army chief and RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.
Last week, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, considered the organisation’s second-most senior leader, had said that India should continue diplomatic engagement with Pakistan.
To another query, the minister said that the Indus Waters Treaty had been functioning successfully for the past 66 years, adding that it was one of the oldest agreements and contains a mechanism for resolving disputes.
He also welcomed a new ruling from the Court of Arbitration under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying that the verdict was in favour of Pakistan.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague had upheld its earlier award supporting the continued validity of the IWT, ruling that India could not unilaterally suspend the agreement.
Can GOP Representative Thomas Massie pull out a win in one of the most challenging primaries of his political career as he is takes on President Donald Trump’s fury alongside the president-backed opponent?
Rep. Massie, who has been a constant thorn in the side of Republican leaders for highlighting the issues that other politicians usually want buried, is all set to contest in GOP primaries in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
He has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District in the House for eight terms.
Massie has openly expressed opposition to the U.S. war against Iran and repeatedly highlighted the Epstein files issue, prompting President Trump to handpick his opponent in a bid to unseat the GOP politician.
The 55-year-old politician will contest the elections against former Navy SEAL and fifth-generation farmer, Ed Gallrein, in the most expensive House primary in history in terms of ad spending.
According to AdlImpact, the ad spending in the primaries has crossed a whopping $32 million, most donated and spent by Pro-Trump and Pro-Israel organisations for negative ads against Massie, reports NBC News.
In an interview with the outlet, Massie said, “People aren’t going to be voting for me or voting for him on election day. They are either going to be voting for me or voting against me.”
Rob Cesternino, a 2-time “Survivor” castaway, talks about the upcoming “Survivor 50” finale, who he think will make the final three and who is his favorite to win the game.
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