Most Old Schoolers remember when Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. were with one of the hottest R&B groups of the ’60s and ’70s, 5th Dimension, with hits like “Wedding Bell Blues” and “One Less Bell To Answer.” We also remember them breaking away from the group and giving us classic jams like “You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)” and “Saving All My Love” (later recorded by Whitney Houston). Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis were [and still are] the truth!

They successfully defied the odds of the typically short-lived celebrity marriages and have now been married for 53 years…they even wrote a book about it titled, Up Up and Away. What they need to do though, is also write a book about how to age slower than the average, especially Marilyn, because she looks like she hasn’t aged much since her Solid Gold days and Billy ain’t looking too shabby either. Check them out below…

See what we mean?!! Above, is a new pic of 79-year-old Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis Jr. is 84! They would probably make a helluva profit on that anti-aging book.

Now that we’ve gotten over our initial shock, let’s talk about what they’re doing now. You would think that after approximately 60+ years in the music game, that they would be kicking their feet up, relaxing by a poolside, sipping martinis and lemonade in the shade, but nuh-uh, Marilyn and Billy are still going strong! As a matter of fact, within the past year or two, they’ve been releasing new music…

And get this — it’s just been announced that the dynamic duo will be receiving their star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame this year!

In addition to performing, Billy has battled prostate cancer. In the video below,  he and Marilyn talked about the importance of health checks and how difficult it was for Billy to deal with the reality of his cancer diagnosis initially…

In case you’ve ever wondered why Billy and Marilyn left such a successful group, like The 5th Dimension, it wasn’t because of any tension among the members or anything, but Marilyn and Billy explained that they simply didn’t want to live their lives with regrets of what could have been, so they followed their hearts and took a shot at becoming a duo. They said this about their decision to venture out on their own:

“We didn’t know exactly what was going to happen,” recalls Davis.

“We knew we had walked away from a lot of success and it was very risky, but we didn’t want to look back on our lives 20 years later and say, ‘Wow, we always wanted to do this or that,’ so we looked at it as giving it a shot,” adds Marilyn. At first, their record company offered each of them recording contracts. “We went back to them and asked about ‘how about doing this as a duo’ so it wouldn’t impact our marriage. … We knew it was a totally new venture. We knew as big as we had become in The 5th Dimension, we could never expect that lightning could strike twice in the same place.” But it did, and what a storm it was.
[via SoulTrain]

Marilyn and Billy are truly an inspiration. They’re another example that it is not only possible to love your partner, after so many decades together, but that it’s also possible to still be in love with your partner as well. They’re like the music version of Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. We look forward to seeing them on that stage for many more years to come.

The post Goals: We’re Amazed By How Fly Music Legends, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr, Look Now appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcXSGK5FjZi/

Back then, Jody Watley was “Looking For A New Love,” Peabo Bryson wanted to “Feel The Fire” and Marilyn McCoo was hosting Solid Gold, and along with her husband/5th Dimension group member, Billy Davis Jr., they had us vibin’ to “Stone Cold Picnic” on a laid-back summer day.

Needless to say, the days of classic R&B memories, like those, are long gone. However, when we fast forward to today, Jody Watley has just reminded us of what those days were like.

In a series of online posts, the talented and still sexy “Real Love” singer shared some background photos and video of ‘The Colors Of Christmas Tour 2017′ she’s currently on with the above mentioned stars, as well as the youngin’ of the crew, Ruben Studdard (39).

The thing that fans couldn’t help but notice, is how age-less the old school legends are looking these days. Jody is 58, Peabo is 66, Marilyn is 74 and her husband of 48 years, Billy Davis Jr., is 79. They ALL look great and fly as they ever were! Check out the pics below and reminisce with us on this one…

(L-R) Peabo Bryson, Jody Watley, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr. and Ruben Studdard…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcRCS4dlZwi/

Jody & Peabo…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcNeYiYFYpS/

Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr…

We look forward to seeing our special fans tonite in New Jersey on #TheColorsofChristmas Tour @StateTheatreNJ, and then tomorrow @browardcenter, Florida! It's Christmas cheer & greatest hits…just for you! pic.twitter.com/zCKaO4tGtK

— MarilynBilly (@mccoodavis) December 5, 2017

Peabo’s voice is just as smooth as ever…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcTKzPml3We/

Watley & Studdard singing their hearts out…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcSmSX5lCP1/

By the way, if ‘The Colors Of Christmas Tour 2017′ is headed your way, be sure to check them out for a night of Christmas songs and greatest hits classics. Go get your jam on the soulful way this Christmas season ILOSM fam.’ Click HERE for the tour dates.

The post Jody Watley Makes Major Move w/Peabo Bryson, “Solid Gold’s” Marilyn McCoo & They’re All Ageless! appeared first on I Love Old School Music.