Chuck Negron, Three Dog Night founding member, dies aged 83

Negron had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure before his death

Chuck Negron, founding member and lead singer of the iconic rock band Three Dog Night, has died at his Studio City, California home at the age of 83.

Negron had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure in the months leading up to his passing.

Born Charles Negron II on June 8, 1942 in the Bronx, New York, to a Puerto Rican nightclub performer, he grew up playing basketball and singing in doo-wop groups. His athletic talent brought him to Los Angeles through Allan Hancock College and California State University, where he began pursuing a career in music.

In 1967, Negron joined Danny Hutton and the late Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night, a trio known for blending R&B, rock and doo-wop with innovative harmonies and production. The band became one of the most successful of the late 1960s and early 1970s, producing nearly two dozen Top 40 Billboard hits. Negron’s lead vocals were featured on classics such as the two-time Grammy-nominated “Joy To The World (Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog),” “One (Is The Loneliest Number),” “Easy To Be Hard,” and “Old Fashioned Love Song.”

The band later expanded to include guitarist Michael Allsup, and the late Jimmy Greenspoon, Joe Schermie and Floyd Sneed. Hutton and Allsup remain the last surviving original members and continue to tour as Three Dog Night.

Negron’s career was marked by personal struggles with addiction, which he later overcame. He launched a solo career in 1991, releasing seven albums between 1995 and 2017 and advocating for substance abuse recovery. His 1999 autobiography, Three Dog Nightmare, recounted both his musical journey and path to sobriety.

He reconciled with Hutton last year after decades of estrangement. Negron is survived by his wife Ami Albea Negron, five children, nine grandchildren, two nephews, five nieces, and his siblings. He was predeceased by his parents and his twin sister Nancy Negron Dean.