Chuck Negron, founding member of Three Dog Night, has died at 83

Chuck Negron, a founding member and the lead singer of Three Dog Night, has passed away at the age of 83.

Negron died on Monday February 2 at his Studio City home in California, with his family by his side, according to a statement shared with Billboard. No cause of death was immediately confirmed, though the vocalist had lived for many years with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and had recently been dealing with heart failure.

Born Charles Negron II on June 8, 1942, he was raised in the Bronx, where his early love of music saw him singing in doo wop groups. A basketball scholarship later took him to Los Angeles, where his path changed for good. In 1967, he teamed up with Danny Hutton and the late Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night, a harmony focused vocal group known for choosing songs written by outside composers. That approach helped propel them into the ranks of the most successful bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Negron’s distinctive voice became the driving force behind many of Three Dog Night’s best known songs, including “Joy to the World,” “One,” “Easy to Be Hard,” “Old Fashioned Love Song” and “The Show Must Go On.” From 1969 through 1975, the band earned three number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and established themselves as one of the most dominant radio acts of their generation.

As the group’s fame grew at a relentless pace, Negron faced a devastating struggle with addiction. The battle strained relationships within the band and ultimately played a role in its breakup at the height of its success. His substance use led to deep personal and financial difficulties, including a period when he was homeless in Los Angeles. After several attempts at rehabilitation, Negron achieved sobriety in 1991.

In 1999, he chronicled his journey in the memoir Three Dog Nightmare, offering a candid look at fame, dependency and recovery. In later years, Negron released seven solo albums between 1995 and 2017 and became a vocal advocate for addiction recovery, regularly speaking about his experiences to help others in similar situations.

Even as health issues mounted, Negron remained active as a performer for many years, adapting his technique to protect his voice while living with COPD. He took pride in maintaining his vocal strength and continued touring until the COVID 19 pandemic, when concerns over his condition led him to step back from the road.

Negron is survived by his wife Ami Albea Negron, his children Shaunti Negron Levick, Berry Oakley, Charles Negron III, Charlotte Negron and Annabelle Negron, along with nine grandchildren and additional family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his twin sister Nancy Negron Dean. In a final chapter of reconciliation, Negron and fellow Three Dog Night founder Danny Hutton reunited last year, ending decades of estrangement.