Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., the dynamic duo known as “The First Couple of Pop & Soul,” have left their mark on the music industry. The pair first found fame as lead singers and co-founders of the original 5th Dimension, the legendary group behind classics such as include “You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show,” “Up, Up And Away,” (Grammy Hall of Fame, 2004) and “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In,” (Grammy Hall of Fame, 2003). After leaving the quintet, McCoo and Davis broke barriers as the first Black married couple to star in their own TV series.
The seven-time Grammy Award-winning duo performed at the 1968 Harlem Cultural Festival, sharing the stage with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, are winners of the Tokyo Musical Festival, and recipients of four Playboy Jazz Festival wins. In 2021, they released their first studio album in 30 years. “Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons” weaves themes of social justice into soulful renditions of classic Beatles hits. The album was met with critical acclaim for breathing new life into Blackbird.
Beyond their musical achievements, the couple was featured in Questlove’s directorial debut “Summer of Soul,” made countless television appearances, authored a book, and headlined Las Vegas. All throughout, they have used their platform powerfully for activism, fighting for civil rights.