Florence LaRue (born February 4, 1942) is an American singer and actress, best known as an original member of the 5th Dimension.

Early life

She received a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in Elementary Education from California State University, Los Angeles.

Work with 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 Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

s, including Grammy Award for Record of the Year for " Up, Up and Away" (1968) and " Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" (1969).

Acting and theater career

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 The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

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 Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007). was an American actress. A star of both movies and television, she received an Academy Award for Best Actress, four Golden Globe Awards and nominations for two Pr ...

, 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.

Singing career

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. 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".

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Larue, Florence 1944 births Living people 21st-century American women American women singers Musicians from Plainfield, New Jersey Grammy Award winners California State University, Los Angeles alumni American musical theatre actresses