Marilyn McCoo

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Marilyn McCoo (1996)
Marilyn McCoo on The Fifth Dimension (1970)

Marilyn McCoo (born September 30, 1943 in Jersey City , New Jersey ) is an American singer , actress and presenter , who became known as a member of The Fifth Dimension .

life and career

Marilyn McCoo was born in Jersey City in 1943 as one of four siblings. Her parents were both doctors. At the age of seven, she moved with her family to Los Angeles , where she took singing, dance and piano lessons. McCoo made her first appearance at the age of fifteen on an Art Linkletter talent show . After graduating from high school, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles . In 1962 she won the title of Miss Grand Talent at the Miss Bronze California beauty pageant .

Early 1960s McCoo joined the band The Hi-Fi's at, among other things, as the opening act at concerts by Ray Charles occurred. In 1966 she met the musician Billy Davis Jr. , who in the same year renamed his band, founded in 1965 as The Versatiles , to The Fifth Dimension . McCoo joined the band as a background singer. The group had their first success in 1967 with the single Up, Up and Away , which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 . The Fifth Dimension had their greatest success in 1969 with the medley Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In , which entered the top 10 of the charts in several European countries as well as Australia and was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States for six weeks .

In the 1970s McCoo became the female lead vocalist of The Fifth Dimension , replacing her bandmate Florence LaRue in this position . In 1975 she left the band with Billy Davis Jr. to begin a solo career with him. The couple had married in 1969. The duo were signed to ABC Records and released their debut album in 1976 entitled I Hope We Get to Love in Time . His single You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show) reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1977 . In 1978 the duo released the single Saving All My Love for You , which was covered by Whitney Houston in 1985 with great success .

In addition to her work as a singer, McCoo also appeared in several films and television series, including from 1986 to 1987 as Tamara Price in eight episodes of the soap opera Zeit der Sehnsucht . In 1985 she was seen in the music video for Jeff Becks Ambitious , and she also took over the background vocals. From 1981 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1988 McCoo hosted the music show Solid Gold . She is still active as a singer with her husband to this day.

Filmography (selection)

Chart positions
Explanation of the data
Singles
I Hope We Get To Love In Time (with Billy Davis junior )
  US 91 03/27/1976 (6 weeks)
You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show) (with Billy Davis junior)
  UK 7th 03/19/1977 (9 weeks)
  US 1Template: Infobox chart placements / maintenance / NR1 link 09/11/1976 (26 weeks)
Your Love (with Billy Davis junior)
  US 15th 03/19/1977 (11 weeks)
Look What You've Done To My Heart (with Billy Davis junior)
  US 51 08/20/1977 (7 weeks)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Chart sources: UK US
personal data
SURNAME McCoo, Marilyn
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer, actress and presenter
DATE OF BIRTH September 30, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH Jersey City , New Jersey , United States