LaMonte McLemore, a legendary soul singer who also had an extensive photography career, has died. A publicist announced that McLemore died of natural causes on Tuesday at the age of 90. McLemore was a founding member of the soul group The 5th Dimension, known for hits including “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.” One of his 5th Dimension co-founders, Florence LaRue, said in a statement, “His cheerfulness and laughter often brought strength and refreshment to me in difficult times. We were more like brother and sister than singing partners.” Before founding The 5th Dimension, he was a baseball prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system. Outside of his musical career, McLemore was a distinguished photographer, contributing celebrity, sports, and editorial portraiture to Jet magazine and Harper’s Bazaar for decades. In his 2014 autobiography, McLemore wrote, “If I can make you smile, if I can see the greatness in others and help propel them to excellence, I wake up each day a happy man.”
Read it at The Hollywood Reporter
