Named by music icon, Clive Davis, as “The First Couple of Pop & Soul,” this is the season of renaissance for Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
They star in the Grammy Nominated, Sundance Award-Winning, Critics Choice Award-Winning, Questlove documentary, “Summer Of Soul”…they signed a multi-album recording agreement with EE1/BMG… released “blackbird Lennon-McCartney Icons,” a Social Justice Album, which returned the couple to the Billboard Charts after an absence of over 35 years, winning accolades and support from admirers Vanessa Williams, Anita Baker, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Jimmy Jam, Questlove, Original 5th Dimension friends Florence LaRue Lamonte McLemore… received awards from the Congressional Black Caucus, LATM and the John F. Kennedy Profile In Courage Award…guest starring in “Arts Interrupted” for PBS…. a special appearance, singing “Silent Night”, in the Magnolia Hill Warner Brothers telefilm, “The Waltons: Homecoming” airing on The CW November 28th and December 11, and becoming the first African-American married couple to be selected for a 2nd Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Marilyn and Billy ascended to fame as the co-founders, stars and lead singers of legendary vocal group, The Original 5th Dimension, where they launched Champagne and Pop Soul Classics, including “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” “Worst That Could Happen,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Sweet Blindness,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “Last Night (I Didn’t Get To Sleep At All),” “One Less Bell to Answer” and more. After leaving The Original 5th Dimension, Marilyn and Billy recorded “You Don’t Have to be a Star (to Be in My Show),” a chart-topping number 1 record, which won their 7th Grammy Award and a network television variety show on CBS. “The Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. Show” made TV history, with the couple being the first and to date only, African-American married couple to have their own series. Marilyn & Billy are two of television’s most prolific artists having appeared on virtually every major television program domestically and internationally, including Marilyn’s 7-year hosting and Billy’s frequent guest starring on, “Solid Gold” which airs in over 130 countries worldwide. Marilyn & Billy enjoy tremendous success as recording artists, performers, actors and authors. 15 gold and 3 platinum records. Their best-selling autobiography, “Up Up and Away: How We Found Love, Faith, and a Lasting Marriage in the Entertainment World”.
Marilyn and Billy devote their lives and careers to philanthropy. They are founding artists for The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, The Music Center in Los Angeles California, Children’s Hospital Charities raising hundreds of millions of dollars through CMN’s Broadcasts, United Negro College Fund. The couple generously supports National Pediatric Cancer Foundation and Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in collaboration with their partner and close friend, Kathy Ireland, CEO Kathy Ireland Worldwide.
Marilyn and Billy continue touring the world in “Up Up and Away: A Musical Fable”.
To date, Marilyn and Billy have been married for over 52 years.
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