SINGING GROUP FIFTH DIMENSION PLAYS TENNIS FORT LAUDERDALE; FLORENCE LARUE GORDON (SOT).
1976/11/20
Florence LaRue (born February 4, 1942)[1] is an American singer and actress, best known as an original member of the 5th Dimension.
Early life[edit]
She received a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from California State University.[2]
Work with the 5th Dimension[edit]
LaRue performing at Eastern Michigan University in 1970.
Main article: The 5th Dimension
In 1966, LaRue was approached by Lamonte McLemore and Marilyn McCoo to join their recently formed group the 5th Dimension. LaRue nearly always sang female lead on one song per album, with McCoo taking the lead on one song as well; otherwise she sang the alto voice parts along with McCoo's soprano, being featured prominently on Stoned Soul Picnic, or shared the lead with McCoo on songs including "Blowing Away", "Puppet Man", "Save the Country", and "Sweet Blindness". After McCoo's departure, LaRue was lead singer on hit songs including "Love Hangover" (1976). As a member of the 5th Dimension, LaRue received six Grammy Awards, including Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Up, Up and Away" (1968) and "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" (1969).[3]
Acting and theater career[edit]
LaRue appeared in the CBS movie of the week Happy with Dom DeLuise. She also performed in the national tour of Broadway's Tony Award winning musical Ain't Misbehavin, and starred in the Toronto and Calgary productions of Mo' Magic.
LaRue co-hosted the Arthritis Telethon with Jane Wyman, judged two segments of Puttin' on the Hits, appeared as a celebrity guest on Star Search, and has been a special guest on numerous television shows, including several appearances on The Dale Evans Show, The Today Show, The Carol Lawrence Show, and numerous other Christian and secular programs.[4]
Singing career[edit]
LaRue singing in a lead in a 2018 performance by Florence LaRue and the 5th Dimension in Manalapan, New Jersey
In April 2014, the group toured as "Florence LaRue & The Fifth Dimension" led by LaRue with Willie Williams, Leonard Tucker, Patrice Morris, and Floyd Smith.[5]
In June 2016, LaRue and the group performed in The Villages, Florida, just days after the Orlando nightclub shooting. LaRue shared her thoughts on the events saying, "We will not be terrorized. We know what’s happening in the world, but this is a song about good health, love, peace and happiness. We still believe in those things today," she stated before performing one of the band's hit singles, "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In".[6]
The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group. Their music encompasses sunshine pop,[1] pop soul[1] and psychedelic soul.[2]
Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966.[3] Between 1967 and 1973 they charted with 20 top 40 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, two of which – "Up, Up and Away" (no. 7, 1967) and the 1969 number one "Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" — won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Other big hits include "Stoned Soul Picnic" (no. 3), "Wedding Bell Blues" (no. 1), "One Less Bell to Answer" (no. 2), a cover of "Never My Love" (pop no. 12/Easy Listening no. 1), "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" (no. 8), and "If I Could Reach You" (pop no. 10/Easy Listening no. 1). Three of their records reached the top ten of Billboard's Rhythm & Blues/Soul chart. Five of their 19 top 20 hits on the Easy Listening chart reached number one.[4]
The five original members were Lamonte McLemore, Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue, Ronald Townson, and Billy Davis Jr. Their earliest recordings were on the Soul City record label, which was started by recording artist Johnny Rivers. The group later recorded for Bell/Arista Records, ABC Records, and Motown Records.
Some of the songwriters who worked with the 5th Dimension went on to careers of their own, especially Ashford & Simpson, who wrote the song "California Soul". The group is also notable for having more success with the songs of Laura Nyro than Nyro did herself,[3] particularly with "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Wedding Bell Blues", "Blowin' Away" and "Save the Country". The group also recorded songs by well-known songwriters including Burt Bacharach and Hal David ("One Less Bell to Answer") and Jimmy Webb, who wrote "Up, Up and Away". The group's 1967 LP The Magic Garden features all but one song composed by Webb.
The 5th Dimension's producer Bones Howe used Bob Alcivar as the singers' vocal arranger as well as instrumental backing by the Wrecking Crew for their recording sessions.
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