How do I return the first string variable that isn't null or empty

var myString = new string[]{first, second, third, fouth, fifth}
      .FirstOrDefault(s => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(s)) ?? "";

//if myString == "", then none of the strings contained a value  

edit: removed Where(), placed predicate in FirstOrDefault(), thanks Yuriy

Define an extension method:

static string Or(this string value, string alternative) {
    return string.IsNullOrEmpty(value) ? alternative : value;
}

Now you can say the following:

string result = str1.Or(str2).Or(str3).Or(str4) …

    private static string FirstNonEmptyString(params string[] values)
    {
        return values.FirstOrDefault(x => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(x));
    }

Called like this:

        Console.WriteLine(FirstNonEmptyString(one, two, three, four, five) );