“Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoned Soul Picnic.”
These are some of the hits of the ’60s whose melodies reverberate in countless memories.
For those who managed to snag tickets to the 5th Dimension’s sold-out concert Saturday, Sept. 9, in Laguna Woods, those memories became a reality as the group transported the audience with hits that defy the passage of time.
Such a passage is embodied in the persona of lead singer Florence LaRue, who, at age 81, is the only original member of the iconic band.
Despite the new members, she said, the group performs the songs as originally written.
“Our audiences want to hear songs the way they remember them. People come to hear our hits,” she said. “We use the same arrangements.”
But the group also tailors the performances to the audiences.
“We perform a lot for baby boomers, who often bring their children, and they too know our music,” LaRue said. “But we also add material that plays well geographically, like a country number in Nashville, for example.”
LaRue has hardly stood still since she harbored Hollywood ambitions as a young girl, though she did better as a singer, musician, educator and, most recently, author.
She spent her early years in Pennsylvania but moved to California more than 60 years ago and got a degree in elementary education from UCLA.
Still, she hoped to be in show business, especially movies. And music was always part of her life.
“I love classical music,” she said. “I played violin and in the school orchestra and also took ballet classes.”
Another of LaRue’s great loves was teaching.
“I had two ambitions, actually, to teach and to be in show business,” she said. “I still love to teach. Teaching is one of the most important occupations.”
LaRue values the arts along with a spirituality that teaches one to live in harmony with others. With three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, her passion for education comes as no surprise.
While in college, LaRue entered beauty contests in hopes of being noticed by film professionals. It worked. She won the Miss Coppertone and Miss Bronze California contests among others.
And though she hoped that the beauty contests would lead to film roles, fate had other plans. It was during one such contest that a photographer friend approached her to fill in for a singer with a band called the Versatiles.
“I told him that I did not want to sing, I wanted to be in movies, but he kept persisting,” she recalled.
She ultimately gave in and joined the band. Soon, the Versatiles became the 5th Dimension.
“There were five of us and there was our dimension of sound,” LaRue said of the renaming of the group at the behest of members Ron Townson and his wife, Marilyn McCoo.
The 5th Dimension went on to achieve wide appeal with their pop music, 20 Top 40 hits and six Grammy Awards.
“I am proud of the fact that our music brought audiences of all races and backgrounds together,” LaRue said. “It is all very positive.”
LaRue has widened her artistic dimension by writing the book “Grace in Your Second Act: A Guide to Aging Gracefully.” In it she shares her insights into beauty, aging and self-improvement, much of it based on her own sense of spirituality. She leaves few stones unturned, from physical and mental maintenance, to finding a sense of style, proper dress and even clothes maintenance.
Most important, she said, she has found peace of mind and joy in helping others by volunteering and reaching out to women of her generation who might have been less fortunate. She praises the effects of mentoring the young on both the mentor and the mentee.
“Nowadays, one in three young people grow up without any sort of life coach—whether it’s an involved parent, grandparent or family friend,” LaRue writes. “All those young people are denied the wisdom of an older person who has their interests at heart.”
Of her own journey, which includes still taking voice lessons and trying to learn something new every day, she said: “At age 81, I feel blessed to still be able to sing those notes. A great part of that is taking care of your health.
“God has given me a destiny. This is what he has chosen for me to do.”
