Posted @withregram • @starsoulhalloffameawards Happy Soul Legend Birthday Ronald "Ron" Townson Born in St. Louis, Townson started singing at age six and was a featured soloist on various choirs throughout his school years.His grandmother inspired him to sing and his parents arranged for him to have private singing and acting lessons. During high school, he appeared for three seasons in productions of Bloomer Girl, Annie Get Your Gun and Show Boat; he also won third place in the Missouri State trials for the Metropolitan Opera. Townson toured with Wings Over Jordan for eight years while still in school and was their choir director for 2 years. He worked his way through Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri by conducting the University and Church Choirs; he also played football and ran track in college.At some stage he was in Canada playing professional football. Townson left St. Louis to pursue a musical career in Los Angeles, California. He met Dorothy Dandridge and toured with her for two years, took part in the Samuel Goldwyn motion picture production of Porgy & Bess, and toured with Nat King Cole.He also organized and conducted his own 35-voice a cappella choir in Los Angeles. In 1965, Townson and fellow St. Louis natives Billy Davis, Jr. and Lamonte McLemore joined female vocalists Marilyn McCoo and Florence LaRue to form The Versatiles.The name was a reference to their varied style in music, but producer Johnny Rivers thought the name was outdated. He wanted a newer-sounding name for the group, and they soon came up with The 5th Dimension. They began cutting records for Rivers' Soul City Records music label that year. In 1976, after ten successful years with The 5th Dimension, Townson left the group. In subsequent years he made a guest appearance on the TV series Switch, cut records, performed solo, and formed his own group, Ron Townson and Wild Honey. He also managed five-piece soul/funk vocal group Creative Source, who enjoyed moderate success between 1973 and 1977.From 1977 to 1980 he pursued his interest in classical music. With the encouragement of group member Florence LaRue Townson rejoined The 5th Dimension in 1980. #RonTownson #5thd https://www.instagram.com/p/CntAt9FNn7N/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
