We have sad news to report from the world of music today.
Chuck Negron — best known as the frontman for the legendary rock band Three Dog Night — has passed away.
He was 83 years old.
News of Negron’s passing comes courtesy of a statement from his publicist, who says that the singer died peacefully at his home in Studio City, California on Monday, “surrounded by his loving family.”
“Negron was a testament to never giving up – persevering through everything life throws at you, everything you may throw at yourself, and striving on,” the press release read (via People).
The statement noted that Negron had been diagnosed with heart failure in the final months of his life.
The condition exacerbated his existing health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Born in Manhattan in 1942, Negron was a successful high school athlete who began to shift his focus toward music in his later teen years.
After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, where a chance meeting with Danny Hutton and Cory Wells led to the formation of the rock group Three Dog Night in 1967.
The band became one of the most successful acts of its era, scoring a nearly decade-long string of hits that included “Joy to the World,” “One,” “Easy to Be Hard,” “Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song,” and “The Show Must Go On.”
Sadly, in the midst of this success, Negron’s life offstage was marked by profound challenges.
He battled addiction and was arrested for possession of cocaine in Kentucky in 1975. Three Dog Night disbanded the following year.
After leaving or being expelled from more than 30 treatment programs, Negron finally got sober for good in 1991.
He returned to music with a string of modestly successful solo albums, and he shared his story in the candid memoir Three Dog Nightmare.
Negron is survived by his four children and his wife and former manager, Ami Albea.
Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.