{{short description|American actress and singer (born 1942)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}} {{BLP sources|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Florence LaRue | image = Florence LaRue.jpeg | caption = Florence LaRue | image_size = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|02|04}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = | genre = [[Pop music]] | occupation = Singer, actress | years_active = 1966–present | label = Soul City, Imperial, Bell Records, Arista, ABC Records, Motown | associated_acts = [[The 5th Dimension]] | website = }}
'''Florence LaRue''' (born February 4, 1942)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Mike |date=February 4, 2023|title=Today's famous birthdays list for February 4, 2023 includes celebrities Alice Cooper, Natalie Imbruglia|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/02/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-february-4-2023-includes-celebrities-alice-cooper-natalie-imbruglia.html |access-date=February 4, 2023 |website=[[Cleveland.com]]}}</ref> is an American singer and actress, best known as an original member of [[the 5th Dimension]].
==Early life== She received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in Elementary Education from [[California State University, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesherald.com/article/JR/20121012/ENTERTAINMENT01/121019904 |title=Florence LaRue still soars with the Fifth Dimension |first=Rita |last=Charleston |newspaper=The Times Herald |date=12 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206132146/http://www.timesherald.com/article/JR/20121012/ENTERTAINMENT01/121019904|archive-date=February 6, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Work with the 5th Dimension== [[File:FlorenceLaRue.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7|LaRue performing at Eastern Michigan University in 1970.]] {{main|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 (The 5th Dimension album)|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]]s, including [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year]] for "[[Up, Up and Away (song)|Up, Up and Away]]" (1968) and "[[Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In]]" (1969).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://lasentinel.net/the-center-of-the-5th-dimension.html |title=The Center of The 5th Dimension |first=Brandon I. |last=Brooks |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Sentinel]] |date=25 June 2009}}</ref>
==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 theatre|Broadway's]] [[Tony Award]] winning musical ''[[Ain't Misbehavin' (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]]'', ''[[Today (NBC program)|The Today Show]]'', The Carol Lawrence Show, and numerous other Christian and secular programs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.florencelarue.com/about.htm |title=Florence LaRue Biography |publisher=Florence LaRue |access-date=2014-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014113911/http://www.florencelarue.com/about.htm |archive-date=2014-10-14 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Singing career== [[Image:Florence LaRue and the 5th Dimension 2018.JPG|thumb|right|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thefifthdimension.org |title=Official Website of The 5th Dimension featuring Florence LaRue |publisher=The 5th Dimension |access-date=2014-05-24}}</ref>
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]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.villages-news.com/5th-dimensions-florence-larue-charms-sold-crowd-savannah-center |title=5th Dimension's Florence LaRue charms sold-out crowds at Savannah Center |website=Villages-News.com|date=22 June 2016 |access-date=2016-08-25}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{AllMusic |class=artist |id=florence-larue-mn0000186932}} *{{Discogs artist|522577-Florence-LaRue}} *{{IMDb name|0489337}}
{{Authority control}} {{The 5th Dimension}} {{Grammy Award for Record of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Larue, Florence}} [[Category:1944 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American women]] [[Category:American women singers]] [[Category:Musicians from Plainfield, New Jersey]] [[Category:Grammy Award winners]] [[Category:California State University, Los Angeles, alumni]] [[Category:American musical theatre actresses]]