Singer brings ‘Joy to the World’ and Logan
You may not remember his name, and you may not know his face, but after he belts out lines like, “Jeremiah was a bullfrog/ Was a good friend of mine … ,” or “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do … ,” you’re sure to recognize his voice.
Chuck Negron, former lead singer of Three Dog Night, is coming to Logan.
“We like to bring in a wide variety of performances, so there’s something that everyone can enjoy,” Amanda Matthews, marketing and communications director for the Cache Valley Center for the Arts said. “Chuck’s name came up in a lot of our meetings, so we decided to give him a call.”
According to his web site, Negron was founding member of Three Dog Night in 1967, and the group got it’s first million record seller, “One (is the loneliest number)” two years later. Another smash-hit, “Joy to the World,” was nominated for several Grammy Awards and won 1971’s Record of the Year. By 1972 the band’s opening acts included Aerosmith, ELO and Rod Stewart – they even held one co-headliner concert with Led Zeppelin. But by 1975, at the height of their success, Negron’s life started spiraling out of control. Drugs, sex and fame eventually caused the group to break up in 1977. From there, Negron was in and out of rehab until 1991 and has remained drug free since.
In 1994, Negron began his solo career. His first solo album, “Am I Still in Your Heart,” was released in 1995, followed by a Christmas album, “Joy to the World,” in 1996. Since then, he has released three more solo albums and one DVD. In 1997, he formed a new seven-piece band, with which he has been touring ever since. He also published a book, “Three Dog Nightmare: The Chuck Negron Story,” in 1999. According to his web site, Negron is involved with a variety of addiction and rehab programs, such as Cri Help in Northern Hollywood, and has committed himself to educating youth about drugs.
Negron’s group performs more than seventy times a year, all over the country.
Audience members can expect a mix of the old and the new, Matthews said.
“We don’t know exactly what the program will be, but Chuck’s always been known for his ability to pick great songs. Whatever he picks will make a great show,” Matthews said.
“Not many people have a life story like Chuck’s,” says Matthews, “he was at the very top, went to the very bottom, and spent twenty years working his way back up. Drugs ruined his life but he’s getting it back again.”
-limarc@cc.usu.edu