LaMonte McLemore was a vocalist and one of the founding members of the pop-soul group The 5th Dimension—boasting 20 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (with “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” reaching number one), nine Grammy nominations, and six wins, including two Records of the Year—known for their versatile sound and diverse appeal that transcended race, age, and nationality. In 1991, McLemore and the original lineup of the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While touring the world and receiving critical acclaim with the group, McLemore was also a photographer for JET magazine, taking over 30,000 photographs for their “Beauty of the Week” feature. He was also the photographer for Stevie Wonder’s first album cover, and the first African American athlete to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals, followed by a short stint playing for the LA Dodgers until an arm injury.

LaMonte McLemore’s work with The 5th Dimension and JET magazine left a significant impact on popular culture, one that can still be seen today.

Chris Murray is a writer, curator, and founder of Govinda Gallery in Washington, DC which, since 1975, has established itself as one of the most innovative, contemporary galleries in the United States. He came to know and exhibit many of the nation’s leading artists during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, including the first exhibition of the celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz, featuring her work as chief photographer at Rolling Stone. Since that time, Govinda Gallery has developed a reputation as the leading gallery in the world representing and exhibiting photographs related to contemporary music.

He has edited/co-authored 24 books—on Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, George Harrison, and Patti Smith, to name a few—and has organized more than 250 exhibitions in museums and galleries around the world of many of the leading artists and music photographers of our time.