Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton (born September 10, 1942) is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night. Hutton was a songwriter and singer for Hanna-Barbera Records from 1965 to 1966. Hutton had a m ...
,
Cory Wells
Cory Wells (born Emil Lewandowski; February 5, 1941 – October 20, 2015) was an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.
Early life
Wells came from a musical family and began playing in Buffalo ...
, and
Chuck Negron
Charles Negron II (born June 8, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter. He is best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the rock band Three Dog Night, which he helped form in 1968.
Early life
Chuck Negron was born on June 8, 1942, in M ...
. This lineup was soon augmented by
Jimmy Greenspoon
James Boyd Greenspoon (February 7, 1948 – March 11, 2015) was an American keyboard player and composer, best known as a member of the band Three Dog Night.
Early life and education
Greenspoon was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in ...
(keyboards),
Joe Schermie
Joseph Edward Schermetzler (February 12, 1946 – March 26, 2002), known as Joe Schermie, was an American musician, best known as the bass player for the 1970s American rock-pop group Three Dog Night.
Biography
Schermie was born in Madison, ...
(bass),
Michael Allsup
Michael Rand Allsup (born March 8, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a member of the rock and roll band Three Dog Night. Background
Allsup's parents were originally from Oklahoma, but relocated to the small town of Empire, Californ ...
(guitar), and
Floyd Sneed
Floyd Chester Sneed (November 22, 1942 – January 27, 2023) was a Canadian drummer, best known for his work with the band Three Dog Night.
Born on November 22, 1942, in Calgary, Sneed grew up in a musical family (his parents were both musicia ...
(drums). The band had 21 ''Billboard'' Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1975, with three hitting number one. Three Dog Night recorded many songs written by outside songwriters, and they helped to introduce mainstream audiences to writers such as
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist known for his Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early Americana (music), Americana-influenced songs (often ...
("
Mama Told Me Not to Come
"Mama Told Me Not to Come", also written as "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)", is a song by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman written for Eric Burdon's first solo album in 1966. Three Dog Night's 1970 cover topped the US pop singles chart. Tom J ...
"),
Paul Williams ("
An Old Fashioned Love Song
"An Old Fashioned Love Song" is a 1971 song written by Paul Williams and performed by the American pop-rock band Three Dog Night. Chuck Negron performed the lead vocal on this track. Taken as the first single from their 1971 album, ''Harmony'', ...
"), and
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton (March 25, 1938 – October 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voic ...
("
Joy to the World
"Joy to the World" is an English Christmas carol. The carol was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts, and its lyrics are an interpretation of Psalm 98 celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Today, the carol is usua ...
", "
Never Been to Spain
"Never Been to Spain" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, originally released on his 1971 LP ''Joy to the World'' and later that year performed by Three Dog Night, with Cory Wells on lead vocal. It was featured on their 1971 album '' Harmony''. The ...
").
Name origin
The official commentary included in the CD set ''Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975'' states that vocalist Danny Hutton's girlfriend, actress
June Fairchild
June Edna Fairchild (born June Edna Wilson; September 3, 1946 – February 17, 2015) was an American dancer and actress. Fairchild starred or co-starred in more than a dozen film roles before her addictions to drugs and alcohol effectively ended h ...
(best known as the "Ajax Lady" from the
Cheech and Chong
Cheech & Chong are a comedy duo consisting of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. The duo found commercial and cultural success in the 1970s and 1980s with their stand-up routines, studio recordings, and feature films, which were based on the hippie a ...
movie ''
Up In Smoke'') suggested the name after reading a magazine article about
Aboriginal Australians
Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...
, in which it was explained that on cold nights they would customarily sleep while embracing a
dingo
The dingo (''Canis familiaris'', ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient (Basal (phylogenetics), basal) lineage of dog found in Australia (continent), Australia. Its taxonomic classification is de ...
, a native species of wild dog. On colder nights they would sleep with two dogs and, if the night were freezing, it was a "three dog night".
Musician
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle'' and for his collaborations with ...
, an arranger at
Warner Bros Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
, disputed the above story and claimed that he coined the name. He wrote, "I wuz nuts about Hutton's girlfriend. Quite a dancer. Yet, she didn't read ''Mankind'' magazine, nor have an inkling of anthropology and the cold aboriginal nights that inspired my suggestion."
History
Background
The three vocalists,
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton (born September 10, 1942) is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night. Hutton was a songwriter and singer for Hanna-Barbera Records from 1965 to 1966. Hutton had a m ...
(who got his start with
Hanna-Barbera Records in 1964),
Chuck Negron
Charles Negron II (born June 8, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter. He is best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the rock band Three Dog Night, which he helped form in 1968.
Early life
Chuck Negron was born on June 8, 1942, in M ...
, and
Cory Wells
Cory Wells (born Emil Lewandowski; February 5, 1941 – October 20, 2015) was an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.
Early life
Wells came from a musical family and began playing in Buffalo ...
(who landed a recording contract with Dunhill Records) first came together in 1967. They initially went by the name of Redwood and made some recordings with
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
while
the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
were working on the album ''
Wild Honey''.
Redwood were briefly poised to be one of the first artists signed to the Beach Boys'
Brother Records
Brother Records, Inc. (BRI) is an American holding company and record label established in 1966 that owns the intellectual property rights of the Beach Boys, including "The Beach Boys" trademark. It was founded by brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis ...
. According to Beach Boy
Mike Love
Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bas ...
, "
rian
RIA Novosti (russian: РИА Новости), sometimes referred to as RIAN () or RIA (russian: РИА, label=none) is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency. On 9 December 2013 by a decree of Vladimir Putin it was liquidated and its asset ...
had them in the studio for several days, and he was really funny. They didn't meet up to his expectations. ... They'd go in and they wouldn't sing well enough for him. ... but they went off and made billions." Brian attempted to produce an album for Redwood, but after the recording of three songs, including "
Time to Get Alone
"Time to Get Alone" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1969 album ''20/20''. Written by Brian Wilson and produced by Carl Wilson, it is a baroque pop waltz. Brian originally intended the song for Redwood, the band that ...
" and "
Darlin'", this motion was halted by his bandmates, who wanted Brian to focus on the Beach Boys' contractual obligations. According to Negron, due to the commercial failure of ''
Smiley Smile
''Smiley Smile'' is the 12th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on September 18, 1967. It reached number 9 on UK record charts, but sold poorly in the US, peaking at number 41—the band's lowest chart placement to tha ...
'' and Brian's waning commitment to his band, "the other Beach Boys wanted Brian's immense songwriting and producing talents used strictly to enhance their own careers".
Negron then noted that he would have done the same thing if in the Beach Boys' position.
Shortly after abandoning the Redwood moniker in 1968, the vocalists hired a group of backing musicians – Ron Morgan on guitar,
Floyd Sneed
Floyd Chester Sneed (November 22, 1942 – January 27, 2023) was a Canadian drummer, best known for his work with the band Three Dog Night.
Born on November 22, 1942, in Calgary, Sneed grew up in a musical family (his parents were both musicia ...
on drums,
Joe Schermie
Joseph Edward Schermetzler (February 12, 1946 – March 26, 2002), known as Joe Schermie, was an American musician, best known as the bass player for the 1970s American rock-pop group Three Dog Night.
Biography
Schermie was born in Madison, ...
from the Cory Wells Blues Band on bass, and
Jimmy Greenspoon
James Boyd Greenspoon (February 7, 1948 – March 11, 2015) was an American keyboard player and composer, best known as a member of the band Three Dog Night.
Early life and education
Greenspoon was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in ...
on keyboards – and soon took the name Three Dog Night. Morgan left the band before its first album was recorded and subsequently joined the
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes are an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. Much of the band's music was, as music historian Richie Unterberger described it, possessed of "an eerie and sometimes anguished ambiance." T ...
.
Michael Allsup
Michael Rand Allsup (born March 8, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a member of the rock and roll band Three Dog Night. Background
Allsup's parents were originally from Oklahoma, but relocated to the small town of Empire, Californ ...
was quickly recruited to replace Morgan on guitar.
1968–1972
Three Dog Night made its official debut in 1968 at the
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed "the Whisky") is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boule ...
, at a 5 p.m. press party hosted by
Dunhill Records. They were still in the process of making their first album ''
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael A ...
'' when they heard the favorable reactions from the hypercritical audience.
[Orloff, Kathy. "Three Dog Night—A Howling Success Story". ''Los Angeles Times'', May 23, 1971, pp. 1-q16.]
The album ''Three Dog Night'' was a success with its hit songs "Nobody", "
Try A Little Tenderness
"Try a Little Tenderness" is a song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, and Harry M. Woods.
Original version
It was first recorded on December 8, 1932, by the Ray Noble Orchestra, with vocals by Val Rosing. Another version, also recorde ...
", and "
One" and helped the band gain recognition and become one of the top-drawing concert acts of their time.
In December 1972, Three Dog Night hosted
Dick Clark's first New Year's Eve special, which was then entitled Three Dog Night's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
1973–1979
In 1973, Three Dog Night filed a $6 million lawsuit against their former booking agent, American Talent International (ATI), for continuing to advertise in the media that the band was still with their agency when in fact they signed with
William Morris Agency
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ag ...
in October 1972. Other damages were sought due to ATI taking deposits for booking Three Dog Night, whom they no longer represented.
Joe Schermie left in early 1973 due to "problems arising that were apparently unresolvable". His replacement was Jack Ryland in 1973, and the band then became an eight-piece with the inclusion of a second keyboard player,
Skip Konte
Skip or Skips may refer to:
Acronyms
* SKIP (Skeletal muscle and kidney enriched inositol phosphatase), a human gene
* Simple Key-Management for Internet Protocol
* SKIP of New York (Sick Kids need Involved People), a non-profit agency aiding ...
(ex-
Blues Image), in late 1973. In late 1974, Allsup and Sneed left to form a new band, SS Fools, with Schermie and
Bobby Kimball of
Toto. New guitarist James "Smitty" Smith and drummer Mickey McMeel were recruited, but by 1975, Smith was replaced by
Al Ciner
Alan Ciner (born May 14, 1947) is an American guitarist best known for playing guitar for The American Breed from 1966 to 1969.
Career
He was also the guitarist for Gary & the Knight Lites. He briefly played for Rufus (band), Rufus and is hear ...
from
Rufus
Rufus is a masculine given name, a surname, an Ancient Roman cognomen and a nickname (from Latin '' rufus'', "red"). Notable people with the name include:
Given name
Politicians
* Rufus Ada George (born 1940), Nigerian politician
* Rufus ...
and
the American Breed
The American Breed was an American rock band from Chicago in the 1960s. The band was originally called Gary & The Knight Lites before adopting the name The American Breed in 1967. The band had a number of charting songs in 1967–68, the be ...
, and Ryland by Rufus bassist Dennis Belfield. Mickey McMeel would go on to co-star as "Turkey", the drummer of
Kaptain Kool and the Kongs, in the children's television series ''
The Krofft Supershow
''The Krofft Supershow'' was a Saturday morning children's variety show, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. It aired for two seasons from September 11, 1976, to September 2, 1978, on ABC.
Background
The show was composed of several live-action se ...
''.
For the albums
''Cyan'', ''
Hard Labor'', and ''
Coming Down Your Way'', Hutton did not show up for many of the recording sessions. Cory Wells became fed up with his frequent absence and Hutton was fired from the band in late 1975. He was replaced by
Jay Gruska
Jay Gruska (; born April 23, 1952) is an American songwriter and composer best known for his film and television scoring, and for writing hit songs for a variety of artists. He has composed musical scores for dozens of TV dramas, with over 500 ...
.
Hours before the first concert of their 1975 tour,
Chuck Negron
Charles Negron II (born June 8, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter. He is best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the rock band Three Dog Night, which he helped form in 1968.
Early life
Chuck Negron was born on June 8, 1942, in M ...
was arrested for the possession of narcotics but was soon released on $10,000 bond.
''
Coming Down Your Way'', released in May 1975, failed to sell well in the United States, likely due to poor promotion on account of the band's recently switched label,
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
, and the growing popularity of
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
music. Disappointed by this, the band decided "
Til The World Ends" would be the only single released off the album, which ended up being the group's last
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
Top 40 hit.
Jay Gruska toured with the band to promote their last album, ''
American Pastime'', released in March 1976. Still, the album did not sell well for the same reasons as before. However, the only single released off the album, "
Everybody's a Masterpiece" became an
Adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
hit. Another former Rufus band member, Ron Stockert, was recruited as second keyboardist after Konte left in the first half of 1976. The group played their final show at the
Greek Theatre
Ancient Greek theatre was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period, was its centre, where the theatre was ...
in Los Angeles on July 26, 1976.
In 1979, NBC reported that the band's accountant "was shot in the arm and paralyzed, in what the police believe was a mob dispute over Three Dog Night." Joe Ulloa, a "reputed mob enforcer from New York", was investigated as being involved.
1981–1990s
In 1981, Three Dog Night reunited and released the
ska
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
-inspired ''
It's a Jungle
''It's a Jungle'' is an EP by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1983.
Track listing
Personnel
* Mike Allsup - guitar
*Jimmy Greenspoon - keyboards
* Richard Grossman - bass
*Danny Hutton - vocals
* Chuck Negron - vocals
*Floyd ...
'' in 1983 on the small
Passport Records Passport Records was a U.S.-based independent record label that existed between 1973 and 1988. It was notable for popularizing such artists as Larry Fast, FM, Richard Barone, and Wendy O. Williams. It was distributed by Jem Records in the United ...
label, which garnered some airplay on the
new wave circuit. The EP failed to sell after Passport went bankrupt. The reunion featured all of the original members, except
Joe Schermie
Joseph Edward Schermetzler (February 12, 1946 – March 26, 2002), known as Joe Schermie, was an American musician, best known as the bass player for the 1970s American rock-pop group Three Dog Night.
Biography
Schermie was born in Madison, ...
, who was succeeded by Mike Seifrit until 1982, and then by Richard Grossman, who stayed until 1984. Two guitarists, Paul Kingery and Steve Ezzo, occasionally played with the band, filling in for Allsup on dates he was not able to make between 1982 and 1984. Ezzo replaced Allsup when he departed in late 1984 to take care of some personal and family matters. Sneed was let go from the band at the same time. In early 1985, keyboardist Rick Seratte (formerly of
Poco
Poco was an American country rock band originally formed in 1968 after the demise of Buffalo Springfield. Guitarists Richie Furay and Jim Messina, former members of Buffalo Springfield, were joined by multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young, bassi ...
and later with
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English hard rock band formed in London in 1978. The group was originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their own entit ...
and others) filled in for Greenspoon, who was ill, and the band hit the road with a revised lineup that included Seratte, Steve Ezzo, bassist Scott Manzo and drummer Mike Keeley.
The band toured all through 1985, but in late '85, Negron was forced back into rehab. Seratte left the band to pursue other offers and Greenspoon rejoined the band with Negron in late 1985 and were back touring with the group.
By December 1985, after a relapse into his drug habit, Negron was let go, and the group continued with Wells and Hutton fronting the band and Paul Kingery was brought back on guitar to cover Chuck's vocal harmonies. In 1986, their song "In My Heart" was featured in ''
Robotech: The Movie''.
More changes in personnel occurred when guitarist T. J. Parker and vocalist and bassist Gary Moon replaced Kingery and Manzo in 1988, and were replaced themselves by Mike Cuneo and
Richard Campbell during 1989.
Allsup returned to the group to replace Cuneo in the spring of 1991. Negron entered drug rehab, but did not return to the band.
Pat Bautz succeeded Keeley as drummer in 1993.
In 1993, Three Dog Night performed for
The Family Channel show ''Spotlight on Country'', filmed in
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its y ...
. Kingery returned to the band as their bass player in 1996 following Campbell's departure.
2000–2012
Original bassist Joe Schermie died on March 26, 2002. In May 2002 the band released ''Three Dog Night with The London Symphony Orchestra''. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and in London at Abbey Road Studios and includes two new songs: "Overground" and "Sault Ste. Marie". They also released a DVD of a filmed symphony performance from 2000 titled ''Three Dog Night Live With the Tennessee Symphony Orchestra'' in May 2002. In the summer of 2004, 80s bassist Scott Manzo returned briefly to fill in for Paul Kingery.
In October 2004, Three Dog Night released ''The 35th Anniversary Hits Collection Featuring The London Symphony Orchestra''. The album includes live versions of "Eli's Coming", "Brickyard Blues", "Try a Little Tenderness", and "Family of Man". In August 2008, they released ''Three Dog Night Greatest Hits Live'', a compilation of previously unissued live recordings from concerts in
Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
and
Edmonton, London
Edmonton is a town in north London, England within the London Borough of Enfield, a local government district of Greater London. The northern part of the town is known as Lower Edmonton or Edmonton Green, and the southern part as Upper Edmonto ...
in 1972 and 1973.
On October 24, 2009, they released three new songs: "Heart of Blues", "Prayer of the Children", and "Two Lights In The Nighttime". They issued two new songs on their ''35th Anniversary Hits Collection Featuring The London Symphony Orchestra''.
2012–present
In the summer of 2012, guitarist Allsup was hospitalized for an intestinal disorder, forcing Kingery to move back to guitar, while Danny's son Timothy Hutton played bass. This happened again during the summer of 2015 when Allsup was forced to miss some shows. On March 11, 2015, Jimmy Greenspoon died from cancer, aged 67. His place at the keyboards was taken by Eddie Reasoner who had substituted for him when he took ill in mid-2014.
On October 21, 2015, Cory Wells died at his home in Dunkirk, New York at age 74. In November 2015, the band announced that singer David Morgan would be joining them on the road. He was a former member of
the Association
The Association is an American sunshine pop band from California. During the late 1960s, the band had numerous hits at or near the top of the ''Billboard'' charts (including " Windy", " Cherish", " Never My Love" and "Along Comes Mary") and ...
. In April 2017, Howard Laravea replaced Eddie Reasoner on keyboards. He was formerly with
Frankie Valli and
the Four Seasons.
When Three Dog Night returned to touring in August 2021, it was without Michael Allsup, who was replaced with Tim Hutton on bass. Paul Kingery switched back to guitar. Danny Hutton has stated during concert appearances that Three Dog Night has been recording a new album, before performing their new song "Prayers of the Children".
Personnel
Members
Current members
*
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton (born September 10, 1942) is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night. Hutton was a songwriter and singer for Hanna-Barbera Records from 1965 to 1966. Hutton had a m ...
– vocals
(1967–1975, 1981–present)
* Paul Kingery – vocals, guitar, bass
(1982-1983 as substitute; 1985–1988, 1996–present)
* Pat Bautz – drums, vocals
(1993–present)
* David Morgan – vocals
(2015–present)
* Howard Laravea – keyboards
(2017–present)
* Timothy Hutton - bass, vocals
(2021-present)
Former members
*
Cory Wells
Cory Wells (born Emil Lewandowski; February 5, 1941 – October 20, 2015) was an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.
Early life
Wells came from a musical family and began playing in Buffalo ...
– vocals, rhythm guitar
(1967–1976, 1981–2015; his death)
*
Chuck Negron
Charles Negron II (born June 8, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter. He is best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the rock band Three Dog Night, which he helped form in 1968.
Early life
Chuck Negron was born on June 8, 1942, in M ...
– vocals
(1967–1976, 1981–1985)
*
Michael Allsup
Michael Rand Allsup (born March 8, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a member of the rock and roll band Three Dog Night. Background
Allsup's parents were originally from Oklahoma, but relocated to the small town of Empire, Californ ...
– guitar
(1967–1974, 1981–1984, 1991–2021)
*
Jimmy Greenspoon
James Boyd Greenspoon (February 7, 1948 – March 11, 2015) was an American keyboard player and composer, best known as a member of the band Three Dog Night.
Early life and education
Greenspoon was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in ...
– keyboards
(1968–1976, 1981–2015; his death)
*
Floyd Sneed
Floyd Chester Sneed (November 22, 1942 – January 27, 2023) was a Canadian drummer, best known for his work with the band Three Dog Night.
Born on November 22, 1942, in Calgary, Sneed grew up in a musical family (his parents were both musicia ...
– drums
(1968–1974, 1981–1984)
*
Joe Schermie
Joseph Edward Schermetzler (February 12, 1946 – March 26, 2002), known as Joe Schermie, was an American musician, best known as the bass player for the 1970s American rock-pop group Three Dog Night.
Biography
Schermie was born in Madison, ...
– bass
(1968–1973; died 2002)
* Jack Ryland – bass
(1973–1975; died 1996)
*
Skip Konte
Skip or Skips may refer to:
Acronyms
* SKIP (Skeletal muscle and kidney enriched inositol phosphatase), a human gene
* Simple Key-Management for Internet Protocol
* SKIP of New York (Sick Kids need Involved People), a non-profit agency aiding ...
– keyboards
(1973–1976)
* Mickey McMeel – drums
(1974–1976)
* James "Smitty" Smith – guitar
(1974–1975)
* Dennis Belfield – bass
(1975–1976)
*
Al Ciner
Alan Ciner (born May 14, 1947) is an American guitarist best known for playing guitar for The American Breed from 1966 to 1969.
Career
He was also the guitarist for Gary & the Knight Lites. He briefly played for Rufus (band), Rufus and is hear ...
– guitar
(1975–1976)
* Jay Gruska – vocals
(1976)
* Ron Stockert – keyboards
(1976)
* Mike Seifrit – bass
(1981–1982)
* Richard Grossman – bass
(1982–1984)
* Rick Seratte – keyboards (1985)
* Mike Keeley – drums
(1985–1993)
* Scott Manzo – bass
(1985–1988, 2004)
* Steve Ezzo – guitar
(fill-in for Allsup 1983–1984, 1985)
* Gary Moon – bass, vocals
(1988–1989)
* T.J. Parker – guitar
(1988–1989)
*
Richard Campbell – bass, vocals
(1989–1996)
* Eddie Reasoner – keyboards
(2015–2017; substitute – 2014–2015)
* Mike Cuneo – guitar
(1989–1991)
Timeline
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:15
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:90 top:10 right:20
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1967 till:01/01/2022
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1967
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1968
Colors =
id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:guitar value:green legend:Guitars
id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:album value:black legend:Studio_album
id:live value:gray(0.7) legend:Live_album
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
BarData =
bar:Danny text:"Danny Hutton"
bar:Chuck text:"Chuck Negron"
bar:Cory text:"Cory Wells"
bar:Jay text:"Jay Gruska"
bar:David text:"David Morgan"
bar:Michael text:"Michael Allsup"
bar:James text:"James Smith"
bar:Al text:"Al Ciner"
bar:Steve text:"Steve Ezzo"
bar:Paul text:"Paul Kingery"
bar:TJ text:"TJ Parker"
bar:Mike text:"Mike Cuneo"
bar:Jimmy text:"Jimmy Greenspoon"
bar:Skip text:"Skip Konte"
bar:Ron text:"Ron Stockert"
bar:Eddie text:"Eddie Reasoner"
bar:Howard text:"Howard Laravea"
bar:Larry text:"Larry Taylor"
bar:Joe text:"Joe Schermie"
bar:Jack text:"Jack Ryland"
bar:Dennis text:"Dennis Belfield"
bar:MikeS text:"Mike Seifrit"
bar:Richard text:"Richard Grossman"
bar:Scott text:"Scott Manzo"
bar:Gary text:"Gary Moon"
bar:RichardC text:"Richard Campbell"
bar:Timothy text:"Timothy Hutton"
bar:Frank text:"Frank Cook"
bar:Floyd text:"Floyd Sneed"
bar:Mickey text:"Mickey McMeel"
bar:MikeK text:"Mike Keeley"
bar:Pat text:"Pat Bautz"
LineData =
layer:back
color:live
at:10/16/1969
at:02/15/1973
at:06/06/1988
at:08/28/2007
at:08/26/2008
color:album
at:10/16/1968
at:06/11/1969
at:03/31/1970
at:11/18/1970
at:09/30/1971
at:03/27/1972
at:10/09/1973
at:03/06/1974
at:05/01/1975
at:03/01/1976
at:05/01/1983
PlotData =
width:11
bar:Danny from:02/01/1967 till:11/01/1975 color:vocals
bar:Danny from:01/01/1981 till:end color:vocals
bar:Chuck from:01/01/1967 till:07/26/1976 color:vocals
bar:Chuck from:01/01/1981 till:12/01/1985 color:vocals
bar:Cory from:01/01/1967 till:07/26/1976 color:vocals
bar:Cory from:01/01/1981 till:10/21/2015 color:vocals
bar:Jay from:11/01/1975 till:07/26/1976 color:vocals
bar:David from:10/21/2015 till:end color:vocals
bar:Michael from:start till:12/31/1974 color:guitar
bar:Michael from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1984 color:guitar
bar:Michael from:06/01/1991 till:08/08/2021 color:guitar
bar:James from:12/31/1974 till:05/15/1975 color:guitar
bar:Al from:06/05/1975 till:07/26/1976 color:guitar
bar:Steve from:12/31/1984 till:12/01/1985 color:guitar
bar:Paul from:12/01/1985 till:06/01/1988 color:guitar
bar:Paul from:12/01/1985 till:06/01/1988 color:vocals width:3
bar:Paul from:06/01/1996 till:end color:bass
bar:Paul from:06/01/1996 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Paul from:08/08/2021 till:end color:guitar
bar:TJ from:06/01/1988 till:06/01/1989 color:guitar
bar:Mike from:06/01/1989 till:06/01/1991 color:guitar
bar:Larry from:01/01/1967 till:01/01/1968 color:bass
bar:Joe from:01/01/1968 till:12/31/1972 color:bass
bar:Jack from:12/31/1972 till:02/01/1975 color:bass
bar:Dennis from:02/01/1975 till:07/26/1976 color:bass
bar:MikeS from:01/01/1981 till:06/01/1982 color:bass
bar:Richard from:06/01/1982 till:12/01/1984 color:bass
bar:Scott from:12/01/1984 till:06/01/1988 color:bass
bar:Gary from:06/01/1988 till:06/01/1989 color:bass
bar:Gary from:06/01/1988 till:06/01/1989 color:vocals width:3
bar:RichardC from:06/01/1989 till:06/01/1996 color:bass
bar:RichardC from:06/01/1989 till:06/01/1996 color:vocals width:3
bar:Timothy from:08/08/2021 till:end color:bass
bar:Timothy from:08/08/2021 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Frank from:01/01/1967 till:01/01/1968 color:drums
bar:Floyd from:01/01/1968 till:12/31/1974 color:drums
bar:Floyd from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/1984 color:drums
bar:Mickey from:12/31/1974 till:07/26/1976 color:drums
bar:MikeK from:12/31/1984 till:06/01/1993 color:drums
bar:Pat from:06/01/1993 till:end color:drums
bar:Pat from:06/01/1993 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Jimmy from:01/01/1968 till:07/26/1976 color:keys
bar:Jimmy from:01/01/1981 till:03/11/2015 color:keys
bar:Skip from:11/15/1973 till:03/01/1976 color:keys
bar:Ron from:01/01/1976 till:07/26/1976 color:keys
bar:Eddie from:03/11/2015 till:04/01/2017 color:keys
bar:Howard from:04/01/2017 till:end color:keys
Lead vocal credits
*"
An Old Fashioned Love Song
"An Old Fashioned Love Song" is a 1971 song written by Paul Williams and performed by the American pop-rock band Three Dog Night. Chuck Negron performed the lead vocal on this track. Taken as the first single from their 1971 album, ''Harmony'', ...
" – Negron
*"
Black and White" – Hutton
*"
Celebrate" – Hutton (Verse 1), Negron (Verse 2), Wells (Verse 3), who sings melody through the end refrain
*"
Easy to Be Hard
"Easy to Be Hard" is a song from the 1967 rock musical ''Hair''. It was written by Galt MacDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni, who put the musical together in the mid-1960s. The original recording of the musical featuring the song was release ...
" – Negron
*"
Eli's Coming" – Wells
*"
Joy to the World
"Joy to the World" is an English Christmas carol. The carol was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts, and its lyrics are an interpretation of Psalm 98 celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Today, the carol is usua ...
" – Negron
*"
Let Me Serenade You" – Wells
*"
Liar" – Hutton
*"
Mama Told Me (Not to Come)
"Mama Told Me Not to Come", also written as "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)", is a song by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman written for Eric Burdon's first solo album in 1966. Three Dog Night's 1970 cover topped the US pop singles chart. Tom ...
" – Wells
*"
Never Been to Spain
"Never Been to Spain" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, originally released on his 1971 LP ''Joy to the World'' and later that year performed by Three Dog Night, with Cory Wells on lead vocal. It was featured on their 1971 album '' Harmony''. The ...
" – Wells
*"
One" – Negron
*"
One Man Band
A one-man band is a musician who plays a number of instruments simultaneously using their hands, feet, limbs, and various mechanical or electronic contraptions. One-man bands also often sing while they perform.
The simplest type of "one-man ban ...
" – Hutton sings melody with Negron on harmony on verses, then Negron takes the lead through the end refrain
*"
Out in the Country
"Out in the Country" is a song written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and performed by Three Dog Night. It was produced by Richard Podolor, and was featured on their 1970 album, '' It Ain't Easy''. In the US, "Out in the Country" peaked at ...
" – Group vocal in unison
*"
Pieces of April" – Negron
*"
Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" – Wells
*"
Shambala" – Wells
*"
Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" – Wells
*"
The Family of Man
''The Family of Man'' was an ambitious exhibition of 503 photography, photographs from 68 countries curated by Edward Steichen, the director of the New York City Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Department of Photography. According to Steichen, ...
" – Hutton (Verse 1), Negron (Verse 2), Wells (Verse 3)
*"
The Show Must Go On
"The show must go on" is a phrase in show business, meaning that regardless of what happens, whatever show has been planned still has to be staged for the waiting patrons. There is no evidence to suggest that it is the abbreviation of a longer phra ...
" – Negron
*"
Til the World Ends" – Negron
*"
Try a Little Tenderness
"Try a Little Tenderness" is a song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, and Harry M. Woods.
Original version
It was first recorded on December 8, 1932, by the Ray Noble Orchestra, with vocals by Val Rosing. Another version, also recorde ...
" – Wells
*"
Your Song
"Your Song" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's first international Top 10 chart single.
"Your Song" was first released by American rock band Three Dog Night in M ...
" – Hutton
Lineups
Discography
* ''
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael A ...
'' (1968)
* ''
Suitable for Framing
''Suitable for Framing'' is the second studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album was released on the Dunhill record label on June 11, 1969 and was the first of two albums released by the band that year (see 1969 in music).
T ...
'' (1969)
* ''
Captured Live at the Forum
''Captured Live at the Forum'' is the third album by American rock music, rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1969 (see 1969 in music).
The album was recorded at The Forum (Inglewood, California), The Forum in Los Angeles. According to ''Thr ...
'' (1970)
* ''
It Ain't Easy'' (1970)
* ''
Naturally'' (1970)
* ''
Harmony
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
'' (1971)
* ''
Seven Separate Fools
''Seven Separate Fools'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night. Released in 1972, the album reached number six on the US ''Billboard'' 200, becoming the band's highest-charting album. The LP version of the album was re ...
'' (1972)
* ''
Cyan
Cyan () is the color between green and blue on the visible spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 490 and 520 nm, between the wavelengths of green and blue.
In the subtractive color system, or CMYK color ...
'' (1973)
* ''
Hard Labor'' (1974)
* ''
Coming Down Your Way'' (1975)
* ''
American Pastime'' (1976)
* ''
It's a Jungle
''It's a Jungle'' is an EP by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1983.
Track listing
Personnel
* Mike Allsup - guitar
*Jimmy Greenspoon - keyboards
* Richard Grossman - bass
*Danny Hutton - vocals
* Chuck Negron - vocals
*Floyd ...
'' (1983)
* ''The Road Ahead'' (TBD)
Awards and recognition
* Three Dog Night was inducted into The
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum.
It was ...
in 2000.
References
Sources
*''Three Dog Nightmare''.
Chuck Negron
Charles Negron II (born June 8, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter. He is best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the rock band Three Dog Night, which he helped form in 1968.
Early life
Chuck Negron was born on June 8, 1942, in M ...
. Renaissance Books 1st edition (June 1999)
*''One Is the Loneliest Number: On the Road and Behind the Scenes With the Legendary Rock Band Three Dog Night''. Greenspoon, Jimmy and Bego, Mark. Pharos Books (January 1991).
* Lawrence, Guy (2006)
"Yogi Bear's Nuggets: A Hanna-Barbera 45 Guide" ''Spectropop.com''
Bubblegum University
External links
*
*
*
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael A ...
at
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
'Three Dog NightVocal Group Hall of Fame
{{Authority control
American pop rock music groups
American soft rock music groups
Columbia Records artists
Dunhill Records artists
Epic Records artists
MCA Records artists
MGM Records artists
Musical groups established in 1967
Musical groups disestablished in 1976
Musical groups reestablished in 1981
Musical groups from Los Angeles