BY MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@thecitizennews.com

A “stoned soul picnic” is an event full of good food, good friends and good fun.

By that definition, the Fifth Dimension concert this Friday and Saturday at the Frederick Brown Amphitheater will be a “stoned soul picnic” and fun for the whole family.

The Fifth Dimension, a harmonic soul group popular in the late 1960s, is best known for its hits “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” as well as “Wedding Bell Blues” and of course, “Stoned Soul Picnic.” The group has released over a dozen hit albums and has received 14 gold records.

Currently, the group is made up of original members Florence LaRue and Lamont McLemore, along with newer members Phyllis Battle, Greg Walker and Willie Williams.

“I'm like the mother of the group,” said LaRue. “Lamont is the comedian, Greg is an amazing vocalist and an aspiring writer, Phyllis brings a jazzy element and Willie is the glue. He is the newest member but is very group oriented and very spiritual. He is also an awesome tenor.”

The Fifth Dimension got its first break with the song “Up, Up and Away.” Larue never expected it to be a hit, because it did not sound like other hits of the day. “It was too pretty,” recalls Larue. “It bridged the generation gap, though, and everybody really liked it. We ended up winning five Grammys with that one song.”

The group, classified by many as “champagne soul,” tours close to 30 weeks a season. It has played all over the country and world. The group has also toured the country doing a production of the hit musical, “Ain't Misbehavin'.”

“That really whet my appetite for musicals,” said Larue. “There is something magical about the theater. I really enjoy it and would like to do more.”

Though they have achieved a lot, members of the Fifth Dimension still have goals and aspirations. They would like to do a song for a major motion picture and, though they have toured the world, they have never played Africa. Larue also dreams of playing with the Boston Pops.

The group is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Members have stayed true to their music over the years and continue to have a lot of fun on stage.

“People coming to our show can expect a good family show with a lot of variety. We're very proud of that,” Larue said. “You can hear Fifth Dimension songs as well as a number of others. It will be a real stoned soul picnic.”

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