Most musicians agree that working as a band is eerily similar to being in a marriage. The joys and pressures of creating and performing can quickly test the resolve of even the most patient person. But the longstanding partnership of Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. is an exception to the rule.
In 1965, the duo began singing together while members of a vocal group that eventually became known as The 5th Dimension. By 1967 the singers were on the charts with “Go Where You Wanna Go” and “Up - Up and Away.” Two years later, at the peak of their success in the summer of ‘69, the pair married while “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In” was a staple of Top 40 radio. The hits continued until they left the group in 1975 to pursue new projects — including their own summer replacement television show. The next year, the duo scored a huge pop hit on their own with “You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show).”
Credit: Courtesy of Darren Stone
Credit: Courtesy of Darren Stone
Fifty-three years later, McCoo and Davis are still married and following their own successful path, with recent television appearances, live performances, and a unique musical ministry/gospel fellowship. “I guess you could say we’re staying busy,” laughs Davis during a call to preview their upcoming show at the Rialto Center. “The last two times we were in Georgia were to be in the Waltons reunion shows.”
In the revived Waltons franchise, the singers play Sister Harriet and Brother William, characters not unlike their own personas, “except they’re much older than us,” continues Davis. “It was so much fun to do those shows down there,” interjects McCoo, who lived in Columbus, Georgia, as a child. “There are generations who didn’t even know about that show. We were so happy to be asked to be a part of it because the stories are just so beautiful. It’s all about love and family and these are the things that people really need to see today.”
Through the years, the pair have done quite a bit of television, from variety shows to specials to McCoo’s high-profile tenure on “Solid Gold.” “We even did an episode of ‘Days Of Our Lives!’” muses Davis. “But to see ourselves on ‘The Waltons’? Now that’s just somethin’ else. To be playing characters in a period piece is so new to us.”
The roles come on the heels of a slate of diverse activities for the entertainers. “We’re so blessed to be doing all these new things,” continues McCoo. “It’s one of the busiest times of our career.” “Blackbird,” their most recent album, delves into the familiar Lennon-McCartney songbook with a special emphasis on civil rights and current events. “The messages were already in there,” explains Davis, “we just brought it out. Like with the song ‘Blackbird’ itself, we’re talking about the kids that are protesting. And ‘Ticket To Ride’ is Rosa Parks. But that’s the beauty of good art, it can relate to so many things and be just as relevant today as it was in the ‘60s when we first sang some of those same songs.”
Credit: Courtesy of Guttman PR
Credit: Courtesy of Guttman PR
A recent reminder of the group’s enduring legacy was their 2021 appearance in the Academy-Award-winning documentary “Summer Of Soul.” “Questlove took that 1969 Harlem music festival and won an Oscar with it,” chuckles Davis. “It was just surreal to see ourselves as we were back then and then to see us watching ourselves was amazing, too. It brought everything right back. The clothes, the people, the other acts on the show. It was incredible to see.” McCoo adds that “the best part about it, was how peaceful it all was. To be able to play for that many people — some of whom had never really heard our music because it was more pop than soul at times — is still incredible to us.”
Credit: Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP
Credit: Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP
The decidedly soulful performance captured in the film was just before McCoo and Davis were married. “That’s exactly right,” remembers Davis. “That was the summer we were married and looking back, that’s a long time ago. So much was happening right about then — we were all over the radio, the moon landing, Vietnam, and all the protests were going on back then, too. It was like today in many ways.”
To sustain a marriage while working together was a challenge, but it wasn’t insurmountable, even during those tumultuous times. “It wasn’t always easy,” explains McCoo, “but the thing is, we love each other and we’ve made a commitment to each other. God has blessed us to stay together.” Davis agrees, adding the pair are closer friends now than even during their ‘60s heyday. “We haven’t gotten tired of each other yet. There’s still too much to do!”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
One of their ongoing endeavors is Soldiers For the Second Coming, an expressive music ministry based near their home in Los Angeles. “We gather together to praise and sing,” says Davis. “I had been away from the Lord for a while but seeing Marilyn reading the Bible and then meeting other folks who loved Jesus, it just renewed my faith.” The ministry has a collection of music available featuring the singers. Its most recent release is “Coming2Gether,” which includes a song by their old friend Jimmy Webb, the legendary songwriter responsible for many of the 5th Dimension’s best-known songs and introspective deep cuts.
“We wouldn’t even be here if wasn’t for Jimmy,” says Davis.
“He loves Billy’s voice and it was always so interesting to see them work together,” says McCoo. “They would sit down and talk about what motivated the lyrics or the storyline that Billy was singing, so we could really feel that music. And now, all these years later, it’s still how we work. If we don’t feel it, we won’t sing it. It has to be real and from our heart.”
CONCERT PREVIEW
Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.
8 p.m. Jan. 21. $50.15-$120. Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St., Atlanta. 404-413-9849, Rialto.gsu.edu.
